Pesto Chicken

Check out my recipe for Pesto Chicken Pasta! It was DELISH!!! I have to laugh about this dish because there was a time (actually most of my life) that I did not like pesto. I love all the ingredients of pesto, but for some reason when it all came together, I just didn’t like it. I would try it occasionally to see if I might like it, but no. But I chose to be brave and make my own pesto – one that is nut-safe for my kiddo. And I LOVE this!! Perhaps it was the nuttiness of pesto that I didn’t take to. And finishing the dish with Vitality Essential Oils really just makes the flavors pop!

This recipe seems long, but I tend to make a double batch of the pesto ahead of time and freeze to have available for 2 meals.

2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
3 cloves of Garlic, chopped
1 Lemon, zested and juiced
3/4 c. Parmesan Cheese
1/4 – 1/3 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
3/4 tsp. Sea Salt
3/4 lb Pasta (we like Farfalle)
1 Tb Avocado Oil
1 lb Chicken Tenderloins, cubed
12 oz Green Beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pint Grape Tomatoes, halved
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 drop Lemon Vitality Oil
1 drop Basil Vitality Oil
Grated Parmesan, to taste

Add the fresh basil, diced garlic, lemon zest, and parmesan cheese to the bowl of a large food processor. Process at medium speed until it becomes a paste, about 60-90 seconds. Add half of the fresh lemon juice and 1/4 cup olive oil. Process until the mixture is evenly combined. Add more lemon juice to taste. Add more olive oil if you would like the pesto to be thinner. Process again until just combined. Add the salt and pepper. Process, taste, and add more if desired.

Boil the pasta according to directions.

Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil on medium heat in a large skillet and add chicken. Brown on each side and remove from skillet. Add green beans and tomatoes and sauté, using the tomato juice to deglaze the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the chicken and pesto to the skillet, then stir in the pasta. Turn off the heat, add the Lemon Vitality Oil and Basil Vitality Oil. Stir to combine. Serve warm with a sprinkle of grated parmesan.