Best Kale Pesto Chicken Breasts Recipes

5-A-DAY CHICKEN WITH KALE & PISTACHIO PESTO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put all the veg for the bake except the garlic in a large bowl and add 1 tbsp olive oil, then carefully turn everything over with your hands so the oil adds a very thin coating. Lightly oil the tray as well if you are worried about things sticking.
• Arrange the veg in piles on the tray, or scatter it all over if you prefer. Add the garlic halves and the chicken, sitting the chicken on top of the veg. Season well and bake for 40 mins then, if the chicken skin is still pale, either turn the oven up or turn it onto the grill setting, and cook or grill until it is nicely browned.
• Meanwhile, make the pesto. Whizz the kale, garlic and pistachios until everything is finely chopped. Add the parmesan, lemon juice and olive oil and whizz again. Add a splash of water to loosen. Any left over will keep in a jar for up to three days in the fridge. Serve the chicken and veg with the pesto spooned over.

PESTO CHICKEN RECIPE WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Pat chicken breast cutlets dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. (Boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used, simply cut them in half horizontally so that you have thinner pieces. Watch the video to see how I do this).
• In large cast iron skillet, heat a little bit of extra virgin olive oil (about 2 tbsp) until shimmering but not smoking in a cast iron skillet. Add chicken to the heated skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, turning over once. Remove from the skillet and set aside for now.
• If needed, add a little bit more extra virgin olive oil to the skillet. Add zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and grape tomatoes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes or so, tossing occasionally, until the veggies have softened.
• In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, mix together the basil pesto and cream.
• Add the chicken back to the skillet. Pour the pesto and cream mixture in. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for a minute or so.
• Remove the skillet from the heat, add lemon juice and lemon zest. Add pine nuts and fresh basil for garnish. Serve hot with your favorite grain or plain orzo pasta.

SUPER KALE PESTO

Steps:

• Make the pesto: In a food processor, add the peeled garlic cloves and process until the garlic is minced. Add the kale, hemp seeds, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Turn on the food processor and drizzle in the oil. Process until the pesto reaches your desired consistency, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Taste and add more lemon, salt or pepper if necessary. (You can thin out the pesto with more oil, but if you're serving with pasta, keep in mind that you can also thin it out with reserved pasta cooking water.)
• Cook the pasta (optional): Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve one cup cooking liquid before draining the pasta. Let the pasta and pasta water cool for a minute to make sure the high heat doesn't damage the flax oil pesto.
• If you intend to have leftovers, transfer the amount of pasta you think you'll be eating immediately to a serving bowl and mix in pesto with splashes of cooking water. Otherwise, you can mix the pasta and pesto together in your cooking pot, adding splashes of cooking water as necessary. Keep in mind that you have diluted the flavor a bit with the cooking water, so taste and add more lemon, salt or a drizzle of olive oil as necessary.

KALE PESTO CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• 1. Pulse the garlic and almonds in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the kale leaves and pulse until chopped. Add the basil leaves and pulse until finely chopped. With the machine running, add ½ cup oil in a steady stream. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Pulse in the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among serving plates. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 2 pieces to the skillet. Cook, turning once, until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the serving plates. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken. 3. Garnish with the basil and serve.

KALE PESTO & CHICKEN GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil and set aside a bowl of ice-cold water. Put the kale and spinach in the boiling water and cook for 2-3 mins until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and lower into the cold water. Drain, then squeeze out the excess water.
• Tip the greens into a food processor with the garlic, lemon juice and zest, basil, pine nuts, parmesan and olive oil, then blitz until smooth. Season lightly.
• Tip the pesto into a saucepan with the chicken, peas, crème fraîche and stock, and bring to the boil. Tip in the gnocchi and cook for 3-4 mins until cooked through. Scatter over the extra basil leaves and grate over some parmesan to serve.