Pesto Chicken Zucchini Noodles
Try this Pesto Chicken Zucchini Noodles recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Pesto Chicken Zucchini Noodles recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 39.99401 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.04046 g
- Fiber 12.3525003232956 g
- Protein 12.50135 g
- Saturated Fat 0.37984 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1681g)
- Sodium 54029.9927351574 mg
- Sugar 27.6415096767044 g
- Trans Fat 0.59756 g
- Calories 188 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare pesto. Using a spiralizer, make zucchini noodles. Set both aside.
- Preheat large non-stick skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add chicken or tofu, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown or chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl.
- Return skillet to low heat and add almonds. Cook until lightly brown, stirring frequently and watching closely not to burn. Push almonds to the side and add zucchini noodles. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Noodles should be just a tiny bit cooked and warmed through.
- Add previously cooked tofu or chicken, pesto and grape tomatoes. Gently toss and remove from heat. Serve hot.
Traditional wheat pasta relies on gluten development to maintain structural integrity when boiled, but zucchini noodles operate under entirely different physical laws. High water content dictates how squash-based strands behave in a hot pan, meaning excess moisture is the primary enemy of a successful dish. Spiralized zucchini releases significant liquid upon contact with salt and heat, which can quickly transform a light skillet meal into a watery soup if the cooking duration exceeds four minutes. Patting the raw noodles with paper towels before cooking absorbs surface droplets, while maintaining medium-high heat ensures that any remaining moisture evaporates rather than boiling the vegetables. Crushed garlic burns easily and turns bitter within seconds if exposed to high heat without sufficient fat, so aromatic blooming must be brief at thirty seconds. Almonds require constant visual monitoring during dry-toasting because their high oil content causes them to char rapidly once they begin to color. A mandoline or basic box grater can substitute for a specialized spiralizer if dedicated equipment is unavailable, though the resulting vegetable cuts will resemble thin ribbons rather than cylindrical strands. Protein choices vary widely here since firm tofu cubes and bite-sized chicken pieces brown at comparable rates in a well-oiled non-stick skillet. Removing the pan from the heat source immediately after folding in the pesto preserves the bright green chlorophyll color and prevents the delicate sauce oils from separating.
