Chicken and Pesto Zucchini Fettuccine with Tomatoes
Try this Chicken and Pesto Zucchini Fettuccine with Tomatoes recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Chicken and Pesto Zucchini Fettuccine with Tomatoes recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- for the chicken and pasta:
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast cubed
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 5-6 medium zucchinis blade b*
- *this is specific to the inspiralizer. if you don' use a thicker noodle blade.
- for the pesto:
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1/2 easpoongarlic powder
- 1/4 easpoondried oregano
- 2 packed cups of basil
- Carbohydrate 2.3282437506903 g
- Cholesterol 66.4583936502948 mg
- Fat 8.36655197563301 g
- Fiber 0.679500021887512 g
- Protein 27.2627283090871 g
- Saturated Fat 1.32803176806142 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (160g)
- Sodium 124.767109088559 mg
- Sugar 1.64874372880279 g
- Trans Fat 0.825931518306159 g
- Calories 197 calories
Step-by-step
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Once oil heats, add in the chicken and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink on the inside, about 5-7 minutes. Halfway through, add in the tomatoes.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the pesto: add all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until creamy.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate when finished, leaving the juices in the pan. Immediately add in the zucchini noodles and toss for 3-5 minutes or until cooked to your preference.
- Drain the zucchini noodles in a colander and then add to a mixing bowl and add in the pesto, chicken and tomatoes. Toss together to combine and transfer to a serving bowl or divide into ind
Replacing the pine nuts with toasted walnuts alters the pesto's final texture and introduces a deeper, more rustic bitterness that reacts differently with the sweet profile of fresh basil. Understanding how these components behave under heat ensures structural integrity across multiple servings.
Mastering Zucchini Moisture Control
Zucchini is composed primarily of water, which presents a distinct challenge when tossed with hot proteins. Salting spiralized zucchini for fifteen minutes before cooking draws out excess moisture through osmosis, preventing the pan from flooding and steaming the noodles instead of searing them. Keeping the cooking window strictly between three and five minutes ensures the strands retain a firm bite rather than collapsing into mush.Freezing and Reheating Mechanics
Freezing basil pesto requires care because delicate leaves discolor rapidly when exposed to prolonged oxygen. Pressing a layer of olive oil directly onto the surface of the blended herb paste creates an airtight barrier that preserves vibrant green chlorophyll for up to three months. When reheating dishes containing zucchini noodles, microwave on medium power in thirty-second intervals to prevent the dairy fats in the parmesan from breaking and separating into an oily sheen.Fresh Versus Preserved Components
Freshly picked garlic provides a sharp, volatile allicin punch that completely transforms the herbal sauce, whereas garlic powder delivers a mellow, distributed background warmth without raw pungency. Utilizing freshly grated parmesan cheese introduces natural emulsifying agents that bind the olive oil and basil together smoothly, while pre-shredded varieties often contain cellulose coatings that cause grainy separation in the emulsion.
