Pesto Chicken And Vegetables
Blog,Budget Bites,Dinner |
April 18, 2023
- Rate us if you are a Food Lover (Sugarzam.com)

$11.07 RECIPE / $2.77 SERVING

Are you able to handle this? Because I was unprepared for how simple and tasty this dish was.

When I sat down to enjoy my first serving of this Pesto Chicken and Vegetables, I thought, “Yes, I’ll be making this every week.” It is the ideal dish for dinner prep due to its lightness, flavor, and speed. Moreover, it is SO SIMPLE.

VEGETABLE OPTIONS

Pesto Chicken And Vegetables
Food: Pesto Chicken And Vegetables
Source: Julia’s Album

For this quick sauté, I used a summery combination of yellow squash, zucchini, red bell pepper, green beans, and red onion, but there are many vegetable possibilities. Here are some additional vegetable options:

  • Broccoli
  • Carrots
  • Grape tomatoes
  • Mushrooms
  • Fresh corn
  • Asparagus
  • Spinach

When utilizing different vegetables, the most important consideration is when to put them to the pan. The vegetables in this dish should not be fully cooked.

They should be tender-crisp in texture. To prevent tender vegetables from becoming overdone, add sturdy veggies first and tender vegetables last.

MAY I REPLACE THE CHICKEN?

Yes, choices exist for that as well! I believe that shrimp and tofu would go wonderfully in this dish.

If using tofu, I would dredge it in cornstarch and fry it separately (as described in this recipe) before combining it with the vegetables and pesto.

HOW TO SERVE PESTO CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

I consumed this dish as-is, which consisted just of tasty chicken and vegetables. However, additional alternatives exist!

You could serve this over a bowl of rice, combine it with cooked orzo or quinoa, or even put it over a bed of greens. I’d probably put them on a flatbread with mozzarella as a sort of vegetable pizza.

HOW LONG DOES IT STAY GOOD?

Depending on the circumstances in your refrigerator, the freshness of the ingredients, and how long you cook the veggies, the shelf life of your pesto chicken and vegetables may differ from mine.

As stated previously, the veggies in this recipe should be slightly cooked. Just cook them till tender-crisp so that they don’t become too wilted.

This not only gives them a terrific texture and a fresh, vibrant flavor, but it also extends their refrigerator life.

EASY PESTO CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

This Easy Pesto Chicken and veggie meal prep are very quick and simple, plus it keeps great in the refrigerator for weekday lunches!
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings: 4; 1.5 cups each

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 red bell pepper ($1.50)
  • 1 zucchini ($0.60)
  • 1 yellow squash ($0.50)
  • 1/2 red onion ($0.19)
  • 1.3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast ($6.67)
  • 2 Tbsp. cooking oil ($0.08)
  • 1 cup frozen green beans ($0.67)
  • 1/3 cup pesto* ($0.73)
  • 1/8 tsp salt* ($0.01)
  • 1/8 tsp freshly cracked pepper* ($0.01)
  • 1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan* ($0.11)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Chop the bell pepper, yellow squash, and zucchini, then cut the red onion into thin slices. I prefer to use a variety of shapes for each veggie, but I try to maintain a consistent size.
  2. Cut the chicken breasts into half-inch cubes.
  3. In a large saucepan, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan and oil are extremely hot, add the chicken and cook until opaque (3-5 minutes; the chicken will continue to cook as you add the vegetables).
  4. Add the frozen green beans to the pan and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, or until defrosted.
  5. Add the red bell pepper and red onion to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes more. Increase the heat slightly if water begins to pool in the pan. The temperature should be high enough so that the water released by the veggies quickly evaporates.
  6. Add the yellow squash and zucchini to the pan and continue cooking for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the squash has softened.
  7. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the pesto until everything is evenly coated. If preferred, season the vegetables with salt, pepper, or additional pesto. Before serving, add a little layer of Parmesan on top.

NOTES

*You may require more or less pesto, salt, pepper, or Parmesan based on the number of vegetables and your particular preference.

NUTRITION IN PESTO CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

  • Serving: 1.5 cups
  • Calories: 369.33 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 11.68 g
  • Protein: 36.8 g
  • Fat: 19.2 g
  • Sodium: 423.15 mg
  • Fiber: 3.43 g

HOW TO MAKE PESTO CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES – DIRECTIONS

Pesto Chicken And Vegetables
Food: Pesto Chicken And Vegetables
Source: Julia’s Album
  1. Prepare the vegetables for use by chopping them beforehand. Prepare one red bell pepper, one yellow squash, one zucchini, one-half of red onion, and one cup of frozen green beans. I prefer to give the vegetables a variety of forms, but I try to keep them around the same size.
  2. Cut 1.3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1/2-inch cubes.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is extremely hot, add the chicken cubes and sauté until opaque (3-5 minutes; the chicken will continue to cook as you add more vegetables). Then, add the frozen green beans and sauté for a couple more minutes, or until they are thawed.
  4. Add the red bell pepper and red onion next. Continue to sauté for a couple of minutes more. If you observe water accumulating in the skillet, increase the heat. The temperature should be high enough to evaporate fast any moisture emitted by the veggies.
  5. Finally, add the zucchini and yellow squash to the skillet. Sauté the squash for a couple more minutes, or until the raw edge is removed.
  6. Turn off the heat. Add approximately a third of a cup of pesto to the pan and stir until everything is evenly coated.
  7. Taste the vegetables and season with salt, pepper, or additional pesto as needed (I added a pinch of each).

Add a thin dusting of Parmesan immediately before serving.
Perfect for meal prep!!