September has finally arrived! I am so ready for fall and all things pumpkin, delicata squash, cranberries and butternut squash. Be prepared for an influx of pumpkin recipes later this month. Meanwhile, combat the heat of the end of summer with my new recipe. Whole30 Parsley Almond Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Chicken. It is light, gorgeously green and bursting with flavor. Did I mention it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, low carb, and of course Whole30?
The Parsley Almond Pesto & Zucchini Noodles
Pesto recipes often call for cheese. This one is dairy free, and gets a zippy tang from lemon juice and Dijon. It’s full of Italian parsley, Marcona almonds and light olive oil. Your guests will be gushing over how tasty and bright it is. Who knew dairy-free pesto could be so delicious!
Want to know the secret to getting perfect zucchini noodles? It’s the KitchenAid spiralizer attachment. I used the medium spiralizing blade to get the perfect zoodle. Once spiralized, the zucchini noodles got a quick roast in the oven, tossed with the pesto and topped with roasted chicken.
The Execution
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken breast on a sheet pan, season with salt and pepper, and roast until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and slice each breast.
While the chicken is roasting, make the pesto. Blend the parsley, almonds, Dijon, lemon and some of the olive oil in a small food processor. Next, drizzle in the remaining olive oil and salt and pepper until combined. Set aside.
Finally, spiralize the zucchinis. Place the zucchini noodles on a parchment-covered sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Then season the noodles with salt and pepper, and roast in a 350 degree oven until al-dente (about ten minutes).
Plating
Once everything is cooked, put the hot zucchini noodles in a large mixing bowl. Spoon in the pesto and toss to coat with tongs. Plate the pesto-covered zucchini noodles evenly between four plates. Next, top with the cooked sliced chicken breast. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve!
Whole30 Parsley Almond Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Chicken
This Whole30 Parsley Almond Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Chicken is the perfect summer dinner. It's light, bright and full of healthy fats and filling protein.
Ingredients
The Pesto
- 3 bunches flat leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup Marcona almonds , regular almonds will work too
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup extra light olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
The Chicken
- 4 whole chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
The Zucchini Noodles
- 6 whole zucchini , large
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
The Chicken
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken breasts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, or until the chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees. The chicken will continue to cook once removed from the oven.
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While the chicken is roasting, prepare the zucchini noodles and pesto.
The Pesto
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Cut off the parsley stems. In a mini food processor, combine the parsley leaves, almonds, Dijon and lemon juice. Pulse until coarsely combined.
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Next, add half of the olive oil and blend. Check for consistency and add more olive oil until the appropriate consistency is reached - thick and wet, but not soupy. Set aside.
The Zucchini Noodles
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Grab a spiralizer, and spiralize the zucchini. Spread the zucchini noodles on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Season the zucchini noodles with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven while the chicken is roasting for 10 minutes (or until al-dente).
Plating the Dish
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Place the cooked zucchini noodles in a large mixing bowl right out of the oven. Add the pesto, and toss to combine with tongs until the zucchini is well coated.
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Divide the zucchini noodles between four bowls. Top with sliced roasted chicken breast. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 592; Total Fat: 34 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 130 mg; Total Carbohydrates: 10 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 4 g; NET CARBS: 6 g; Protein: 57 g
Its amazing that the spiralizer can be used to create this dish. The dish looks so elegant on the plate and really nutritious as well. Thanks for sharing this technique and recipe
Thank you! I hope you enjoy! 🙂 I love our spiralizer.