Healthy Pesto Chicken Recipe - Just 4 Ingredients! (2024)

FAQs

What is pesto chicken made of? ›

This healthy Pesto Chicken made with fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, lean chicken breast, and cherry tomatoes is an easy dish that seriously packs in the flavor. For pesto lovers, add this to your list along with this Pesto Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles and Italian Pesto Chicken Bake.

How many carbs are in Pesto Chicken? This recipe serves 4 and comes to about 2.5 net carbs per serving without the tomatoes. I consider the tomatoes optional because the dish is fantastic with, or without them. However, if you want to add 1 cup of tomatoes to the dish the carbs increase to 4.4 net carbs.

Cooking tips

Bake a 4-oz. chicken breast at 350°F (177˚C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 165˚F (74˚C).

Given all of the above, pesto can undoubtedly be considered a healthy food, and as long as you keep track of portions, it can also be part of a diet that supports a healthy weight. Pesto is nutrient-dense, and because of its fat content, it's also calorically dense.

As you would expect, pesto's wider variety of ingredients means it does slightly better in the vitamin and mineral stakes. Pesto outsmarts tomato sauce in many of these, but the pasta sauce still provides a sizeable chunk of your recommended daily targets.

That's largely down to the fact that most pesto sauces contain generous amounts of oil, nuts, and cheese. All three of these are high in fat and calories, so eating too much pesto, too regularly, and not getting enough exercise can ultimately be fattening.

Because its ingredients include olive oil, nuts, and cheese, pesto can be high in calories and fat. However, the fat is primarily unsaturated and may have heart health benefits. Pesto is also full of antioxidants that can help protect your cells from damage.

A spoonful of pesto contains just under 1 gram of carbohydrates. Pesto is not a significant source of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, or sugar. However, it is often paired with foods rich in carbs, such as pasta, pizza, and sandwiches.

Chicken, sausage, and chickpeas are all delicious mix-ins. If you're in need of side dish inspiration, meanwhile, we've got you covered. Here are a few delicious recipes that pair well with pesto pasta: French Baguettes.

What is one serving of pesto? ›

If you're worried about the sodium and calories in pesto, try using a little less than 1/4 cup. Try starting with 1 to 2 tablespoons and see if you want to add more.

As a very rough guide, your pesto should weigh about 2/3 the weight of the dried pasta you are cooking. So, for a standard, single serving of 75g of dried pasta, we think that 50g of pesto is about right.

Larger cuts, such as whole chickens or bone-in pieces, often benefit from covered baking to ensure thorough and even cooking. Smaller cuts, like chicken breasts or tenders, can be baked uncovered for quick results. Lastly, think about the desired texture and flavor you're trying to achieve.

Given the fact that drumsticks and thighs are dark meat and won't dry out as easily as breasts, the range from 350 to 450 degrees is okay for baking them. 350 to 375 is generally best for breasts.

To Bake Chicken Breast at 400°F: This will take between 22 and 26 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts. You can cook chicken breasts at 350°F for closer to 25-30 minutes (although I prefer the higher heat above).

Traditional pesto is made with basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, and Parmesan (or another type of hard Italian cheese, such as Pecorino). You can prepare it with a mortar and pestle (this is the traditional method) or using a blender/food processor.

What does pesto taste like? Traditional pesto is a thick, green sauce that tastes bright and herby from the basil, and salty and rich from the cheeses and pine nuts. It should be garlicky, with pleasant grassiness from good quality olive oil.

Homemade Pesto

It's traditionally made with basil leaves, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, fresh garlic and a good quality olive oil. What is this? Some folks love to toast their pine nuts before adding them to the blender or food processor, but either way - it's delish!

We're often asked whether pesto is vegetarian, and people are surprised when we say it's not. The reason is because classic basil pesto contains pecorino and Parmigiano-Reggiano, which are both made from milk curdled in animal rennet.