Dieting Delicious: Zucchini Noodle Chicken Pesto Pasta
Reviews
I Thought I Had To Let Go Of Pasta...
In college I literally ate pasta every single day. When I started going gluten free for personal reasons, it was one of the hardest foods for me to resist. My self control was below par until I was introduced to zucchini noodles. It is easier to eat healthy by substituting foods you love with healthier alternatives. It prevents staying healthy from feeling like a chore and lowers the likelihood you will binge on foods you have removed from your lifestyle change. Remember changing your eating habits is not a temporary decision.
Vegetable noodles can be made ahead of time and store well for lunch the following day. Any vegetable of similar make up can be made into noodles with a julienne peeler or a vegetable spiralizer. It's a great way to have a low carb meal and boost nutrient intake.
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast
- 1 tbsp dried oregano, (chicken marinade)
- 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice, about 1 lemon, (chicken marinade)
- 2 tbsp organic cold pressed olive oil, (chicken marinade)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder, (chicken marinade)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder, (chicken marinade)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, (chicken marinade)
- 1/2 tsp pink himalayan sea salt, (chicken marinade)
- 4 oz baby white mushrooms
- 5 asparagus, cut into sections
- handful fresh spinach
- 2 zucchini squash, julienned
- 5-8 baby heirloom tomatoes
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced in large pieces
- 4-6 cloves of garlic, diced
- 1-1.5 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp pink himalayan sea salt
- 6-8 springs fresh thyme
- splash (about 1/8 cup) white wine
- 1.5 tbsp pesto
Cooking Instructions
- Tenderize chicken and flatten it to 1/2 an inch. This will make the chicken cook more evenly.
- Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl: oregano, lemon juice, olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add chicken, and marinade for 30 minutes.
- Once ready to cook, begin by cooking the chicken in your pot. Add ghee or coconut oil to the pan at medium heat. Once heated, add the marinated chicken and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until completely cooked through. Set aside. Wait to slice the chicken for 10-15 minutes so the chicken stays juicy.
- The pan may have pieces of burned chicken stuck to the bottom. Add the mushrooms, onions, thyme and garlic. Once leftover oil is gone from the bottom of the pan, add white wine to deglaze the pan. Cook mushrooms and onions until soft, 3-5 minutes.
- Add the Asparagus and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add zucchini noodles and stir and cook until soft. Add salt and pepper.
- After zucchini noodles have cooked through, add chicken, tomatoes and spinach. After about a minute, they will soften. Add pesto sauce. Stir until combined and serve. Enjoy!
© 2016 Healthy Habits
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