Pesto Zucchini Chicken Bowl (Printable version)

Tender chicken with spiralized zucchini and basil pesto—a light, summery Mediterranean bowl bursting with fresh flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs), cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ Zucchini Noodles

06 - 4 medium zucchinis (about 1.5 lbs), spiralized
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Pesto

09 - 1/2 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
10 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Garnishes

11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
13 - Fresh basil leaves

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, season with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Sauté for 7-9 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
02 - In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add spiralized zucchini and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, tossing gently, until just tender but still crisp.
03 - Remove skillet from heat. Return cooked chicken to the pan. Add basil pesto and lemon juice. Toss everything gently until well combined and heated through.
04 - Divide the pesto zucchini chicken mixture among four bowls. Top each bowl with grated Parmesan, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen.
  • The zucchini stays crisp and light, never mushy or watery if you time it right.
  • Pesto does all the heavy lifting for flavor, so you can keep the ingredient list short and simple.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, and the flavors actually deepen overnight.
02 -
  • Do not overcook the zucchini noodles, they release water quickly and turn soggy if left in the pan too long.
  • Always remove the skillet from heat before adding the pesto, high heat breaks down the basil oils and turns the sauce bitter.
  • If your pesto is very thick, thin it with a tablespoon of pasta water or chicken broth so it coats the noodles evenly.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels before seasoning, moisture prevents browning and you'll end up steaming the meat instead of searing it.
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan constantly, because they go from golden to burnt in seconds.
  • If you don't have a spiralizer, use a julienne peeler to make thin zucchini ribbons, they work just as well and take up less drawer space.
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