Need a simple weekday lunch or dinner option that is easy and healthy? This Pesto Chicken Zoodle Bowl recipe, made with zucchini noodles, is gluten free and Whole30 when made with compliant pesto.
Weeknights can be crazy. Traffic was bad so you (or your spouse) got home late, the kids are whining that they’re hungry (even though you just gave them a snack), and you forgot about the laundry that’s been sitting in the washer for 2 days now. That last one happens more than I care to admit.
If you can relate to any of this, then I know you’re in need of a quick weeknight meal. Enter this Pesto Chicken Zoodle Bowl, which takes no time to make and has 4 ingredients. Let me show you how it’s done.
How to Make a Chicken Pesto Zoodle Bowl
First you’ll want to start by spiralizing the zucchini. There are a bunch of spiralizers on the market, but I like this handheld one. There are a number of other handheld options that would work as well. The handheld works better than the larger ones for me as I typically am just doing zucchini noodles and I can just stick the spiralizer in the dishwasher to clean instead of cleaning it by hand. Your mileage may vary with that.
When spiralizing, you may want to discard the zoodles that come from the very center of the zucchini as they tend to be mushy and watery (the ones on the far left in the picture). If that doesn’t bother you, feel free to keep them.
Once the zucchini is spiralized, put the zoodles in a towel and press them a bit to get some of the water out. Let them sit in the towel while you prep the rest of the pesto chicken zoodle bowl.
Next you’ll prep the shredded chicken. This is where rotisserie chicken comes in handy – all you have to do is remove the skin and peel pieces of the chicken off into a bowl.
I like to shred the whole thing at once, keeping what is needed for the recipe out and putting the rest in the fridge to save for another recipe (like my Cashew Grape Chicken Salad).
Next up is the cherry tomatoes. Wash them, dry them off, then cut them into quarters. This is about as straightforward as it gets, but if you’re not sure what I mean take a look at this video to see how it’s done.
The last step is the pesto. If you’re not on a Whole30, you can use store-bought pesto. I like Dellalo pesto as the ingredients are cleaner than what I could find otherwise. I bought it at my local Fred Meyer (a Kroger store if you don’t have Fred Meyer near you).
If you are paleo or on a Whole30, there are a number of compliant pestos that you can make ahead of time. This Pistachio Pesto by No Crumbs Left is one of my favorites but there are a host of other options out there – and here are a few for reference:
– Arugula Pesto by Nom Nom Paleo
– Whole30 Basil Pesto by Jay’s Baking Me Crazy
– Basil Walnut Pesto by The Real Food Dieticians
– Perfect Paleo Pesto by The Whole Smiths
Now for the assembly.
Take your zoodles out of the towel and place them in a large bowl. Put the chicken and quartered tomatoes into the bowl. Measure out the pesto and place that in the bowl too. Stir with a spoon or fork until well combined.
That’s it. Then you eat it.
There is no picture of what it looks like when it’s all mixed together because it honestly doesn’t look pretty enough to take a picture of (believe me, I tried). But it tastes delicious and that’s what’s important.
This recipe is written for one, but it can easily be doubled (or quadrupled) if you need to feed more people. You’ll just need a bigger bowl.
If you’re in need of more easy weeknight dinner ideas (aren’t we all), check these recipes out:
– Weeknight Paleo Ground Beef Stroganoff
– Swimming Rama Loaded Sweet Potato
– Easy Sheet Pan Dinner with Sausage & Veggies
– Lemon Thyme Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
If you try this Pesto Chicken Zoodle Bowl recipe (or any other recipe) then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below. It totally makes my day to hear how a recipe worked out for you.
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more good to eat, gluten free food and how I’m trying to get my kids into the kitchen.
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Recipe for Pesto Chicken Zoodle Bowl
Pesto Chicken Zoodle Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1/2 cup shredded chicken
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons pesto if on a Whole30 make sure it’s compliant
Instructions
Items Needed:
- A spiralizer
- A towel
- A small bowl
- A measuring cup
- A sharp knife
- A cutting board
- A large bowl
- A measuring spoon
- A spoon or fork
Directions:
- Wash the zucchini, then make zucchini noodles with the spiralizer. Place the zoodles in a towel and press them a bit to get some of the water out. Let them sit in the towel while you prep the rest of the pesto chicken zoodle bowl.
- If the chicken isn’t shredded yet, shred it now (with your hands is fine), measure it with a measuring cup to make sure you have the correct amount and place in a small bowl.
- Measure out the tomatoes (whole, not cut), then wash them and cut them with a sharp knife and a cutting board.
- Place the noodles, chicken, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Measure out the pesto with a measuring spoon and add it to the large bowl.
- Stir everything with a spoon or fork until well combined, then enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is written for one, but it can easily be doubled (or quadrupled) if you need to feed more people.
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