Chicken Zucchini Pasta with Almond Pesto

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Serve a healthy plate of colorful veggies. This chicken zucchini pasta is keto and full of nutrients. You won’t even know you are missing the carbs! 

Chicken Zucchini Pasta with Almond Pesto

Sometimes you are just in the mood for some noodles. I know I am a huge fan of pasta. Being raised Italian I grew to really enjoy pasta in different sauces and flavors. 

But pasta is filled with carbs. And it was too easy to overindulge in carbs when I eat noodles. 

Veggie noodles aren’t exactly the same, but they are just close enough to make me enjoy dishes like my chicken zucchini pasta with pesto. The pesto really elevates this dish to a whole new level! It’s made with almonds and has a rich and full flavor you won’t find anywhere else. 

Here’s how to make my favorite keto dinner of all time. 

Chicken Zucchini Noodles Ingredients

• 3 Large Zucchini Squash
• 2 lbs Chicken Cutlets, cut into strips
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 Cup peeled almonds
• 1 Cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions: 

There are just a few instructions to make this dish. You basically make the pesto first, then the zucchini noodles, and finally make the chicken and put it all together. 

1.) Make the Almond Pesto

First, make the almond pesto with your food processor. 

Add 1 garlic clove to the food processor and pulse until all diced.

Next, add 1 Cup fresh spinach, 1 Cup packed fresh basil leaves, 1/2 cup peeled almonds, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 Cup olive oil. Pulse until smooth.

2.) Make the Zucchini Noodles

The next step is the zucchini noodles. If you want to skip this step you can always buy frozen zucchini noodles from the grocery store. 

But I think fresh zucchini noodles have a better texture. 

Use the spiralizer to make zucchini pasta noodles.

Toss the noodles in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of almond pesto.

3.) Cook the Chicken

Then you are going to fry the chicken in olive oil and with some of the pesto. 

Make a chicken prep plate with 2 tbsp pesto and 1 tsp olive oil.

Put a frying pan on low heat and spray with olive oil.

Dip the chicken strips into the chicken prep plate mixture of olive oil and pesto covering the entire piece.

Add the chick to the frying pan for 4 minutes on each side until all the chicken is cooked.

Add the chicken to the zucchini noodle pasta bowl and toss.

Once all the chicken is cooked, add the chicken and zucchini noodles to the frying pan to warm up the pasta noodles.

Cook for 2 minutes and serve hot.

That’s it! You have a plate full of delicious and filling veggies and chicken!

Can you freeze zucchini noodles? 

Yes, you sure can. Make sure you get as much water out of the zucchini noodles as you can before you place them in a zippered plastic freezer bag. I use a paper towel and squeeze the water out. Then, just place the zucchini in the bag and press to make sure it doesn’t have any extra air inside. 

You can use a microwave to thaw it or place the bag in a bowl of warm water. 

Don’t forget to write the date on the bag. The noodles will have the best flavor if you eat them within 3 months. 

Print

Chicken Zucchini Pasta with Almond Pesto

This is an easy low carb dinner or lunch recipe that works perfectly for paleo and keto diet the Chicken Zucchini Pasta with Almond Pesto

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Chicken, Keto, Paleo, Pesto

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 603kcal

Author Aprilgolightly

Ingredients

• 3 Zucchinis large
• 2 lbs Chicken cutlets cut into strips
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Spinach fresh
• 1/2 Cup almonds peeled
• 1 Cup basil leaves fresh
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Instructions

• Start by making the almond pesto in a food processor.
• Add 1 garlic clove to the food processor and pulse until all diced.
• Next, add 1 Cup fresh spinach, 1 Cup packed fresh basil leaves, 1/2 cup peeled almonds, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 Cup olive oil. Pulse until smooth.
• Use the spiralizer to make zucchini pasta noodles.
• Toss the noodles in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of almond pesto.
• Make a chicken prep plate with 2 tbsp pesto and 1 tsp olive oil.
• Put a frying pan on low heat and spray with olive oil.
• Dip the chicken strips into the chicken prep plate mixture of olive oil and pesto covering the entire piece.
• Add the chick to the frying pan for 4 minutes on each side until all the chicken is cooked.
• Add the chicken to the zucchini noodle pasta bowl and toss.
• Once all the chicken is cooked, add the chicken and zucchini noodles to the frying pan to warm up the pasta noodles.
• Cook for 2 minutes and serve hot.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Zucchini Pasta with Almond Pesto

Amount Per Serving

Calories 603 Calories from Fat 468

% Daily Value*

Fat 52g80%

Saturated Fat 9g45%

Cholesterol 81mg27%

Sodium 385mg16%

Potassium 774mg22%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 26g52%

Calcium 101mg10%

Vitamin C 31.3mg38%

Vitamin A 1465IU29%

Iron 2.7mg15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

More Keto Recipes

It’s tough to find keto recipes that are filling and nutritious. But here are some of my favorites that I make over and over again. 

• Keto Flatbread Pizza Recipe
• Low Carb Egg Muffins with Cauliflower & Parmesan
• Keto Mint Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

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