I. LOVE. PASTA. I'm Italian - well, 25% or something... Maybe I should do the ancestry.com thing? Regardless - my Italian grandmother cooked for me all the time, growing up - in fact, she is the reason I am a Nutritionist and because of her I practice Nutrition holistically.
She has always cooked with high quality, healthy fats and sprouted grains. She was sprouting grains before it was even a "thing." She would make Zucchini Muffins and we would add bran and olive oil to them and then smear lots of good, REAL butter on them when they came out of the oven. I can taste them now as I type this...
All of that to say - I CRAVE Italian food but what I dislike about pasta is you can have so little for SO many carbohydrates and calories. NO I don't advocate counting calories, BUT the way Mo and I eat (ehemmmm - we could probably eat most people under the table!) I want quality AND quantity! So, I've fallen in love with the discovery of making vegetables into noodles. Just makes me happy to have a plate full of vegetables that satisfy me the way a plate full of good old fashioned spaghetti does.
This Zucchini "Pasta" makes the perfect summer dish - it's hearty but refreshing, and super clean - full of healthy fats from the avocado, pine nuts and olive oil and it can be served at room temp or slightly chilled, so it's perfect in warmer weather! Another bonus - no standing over the stove! Once the chicken is cooked, the heat in the kitchen is turned off!
The Avocado Pesto is completely dairy free and vegan and I promise you won't miss the cheese! It is great in this recipe but could be your new go-to for pesto's in other recipes!
This is a super easy to make dinner, but can also serve as a great lunch for the kiddos or to take to work! Just prep all of the ingredients and portion out the zucchini, sundried tomatoes and shredded chicken in individual tupperware and then do the same with pesto in separate tupperware - keep in the fridge and grab and go in the mornings! When you're ready to eat, simply pour the pesto over the zucchini, etc., shake it up and enjoy!
Hope you enjoy this easy to make lunch or dinner! You'll feel satisfied and refreshed after eating it!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil and place chicken, bone-side-down/skin-side-up, onto the pan. Rub chicken all over with sea salt and black pepper.
Place chicken into the oven on the top rack and roast 25-40 minutes, depending upon how large the breasts are -- until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Pull out of the oven and allow to cool at least 20 minutes, so that you can handle it with your hands.
While the chicken is roasting, spiralize the zucchini and place in a large bowl and set aside.
While the chicken is cooling, make the pesto. In a food processor, fitted with the steel blade, combine the basil, parsley, avocado, ¼ cup pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest/juice and olive oil. Process until combined. With the processor running, add just enough water to make a smooth, but not runny, sauce – no more than a few tablespoons at a time. Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste.
Before shredding the chicken, if you want to use the skin, gently peel it off of the top of the breast and lay flat on the same pan you roasted the chicken on and turn oven to broil. Then, shred the chicken and place into the bowl with the zucchini, add the sundried tomatoes. Pour the sauce over and toss well to combine.
Place the chicken skin into the oven on the top rack for 45 seconds to 1 minute - until skin is crisped up.
Plate the zucchini, etc. and top with a few pine nuts, red pepper flakes and crispy chicken skin, if you’d like!
This is best enjoyed the day it is made.
NOTES: Feel free to substitute a pre-roasted rotisserie chicken vs roasting your own. You can certainly use the dark meat as well, if you enjoy it!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil and place chicken, bone-side-down/skin-side-up, onto the pan. Rub chicken all over with sea salt and black pepper.
Place chicken into the oven on the top rack and roast 25-40 minutes, depending upon how large the breasts are -- until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Pull out of the oven and allow to cool at least 20 minutes, so that you can handle it with your hands.
While the chicken is roasting, spiralize the zucchini and place in a large bowl and set aside.
While the chicken is cooling, make the pesto. In a food processor, fitted with the steel blade, combine the basil, parsley, avocado, ¼ cup pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest/juice and olive oil. Process until combined. With the processor running, add just enough water to make a smooth, but not runny, sauce – no more than a few tablespoons at a time. Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste.
Before shredding the chicken, if you want to use the skin, gently peel it off of the top of the breast and lay flat on the same pan you roasted the chicken on and turn oven to broil. Then, shred the chicken and place into the bowl with the zucchini, add the sundried tomatoes. Pour the sauce over and toss well to combine.
Place the chicken skin into the oven on the top rack for 45 seconds to 1 minute - until skin is crisped up.
Plate the zucchini, etc. and top with a few pine nuts, red pepper flakes and crispy chicken skin, if you’d like!
This is best enjoyed the day it is made.
