Chicken with Superfood Pesto and Green Beans

  • Time: 20 minutes
  • Servings: 3
  • Serving Size: 6 ounces
  • Stage: Post-Recovery

INGREDIENTS:

  • Chicken breast, skinless, uncooked - 10 oz (280 grams)
  • Olive oil - 1 tsp (4 grams)
  • Garlic clove - 1/2 medium (2 grams)
  • Sea salt - 1/8 tsp
  • Lemon pepper - 1/8 tsp
  • Lemon, juice only - 1/4 medium (12 grams)
  • Green beans (string beans), chopped - 1 cup (120 grams)

INGREDIENTS FOR SUPERFOOD PESTO:

  • Quinoa, cooked - 1/3 cup (60 grams)
  • Olive oil - 1 1/2 tbsp (20 grams)
  • Spinach, fresh - 2 handful (80 grams)
  • Garlic clove - 1 medium (4 grams)
  • Nutritional yeast - 1 tbsp (4 grams)
  • Hemp seeds - 1 tsp
  • Water - 1 tbsp (15 grams)
  • Lemon, juice only - 1/4 medium (12 grams)
  • Basil, dried leaves - 1 tbsp
  • Sea salt - 1/8 tsp
  • Lemon pepper - 1/2 tsp

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Cook the quinoa if using uncooked (we recommend cooking batches of 1/2 cup to 1 cup to always have available in the refrigerator for a quick meal)
  2. Add all the ingredients for the spinach pesto to a food processor and mix properly until the pesto has a creamy consistency.
  3. Cut the chicken into small cubes. Place a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and chicken.
  4. Cook the chicken for about 8 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Add the salt, lemon pepper and garlic to the pan. Mix and cook for another minute. Add the lemon juice to the pan and mix right at the end.
  5. Warm up the green beans and serve together with the chicken and the spinach pesto. Enjoy!

*Note: Divide equally by the listed number of servings. Stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

NUTRITION FACTS per serving:

  • Calories 242
  • Protein 24 grams
  • Carbs 10 grams
  • Fat 12 grams
  • Fiber 3 grams
  • Sugar 1 grams
  • Iron 18% DV
  • Calcium 7% DV
  • Sodium 18% DV

DV = Daily Value, Based on diet for healthy adults

Nutritionist notes: Pestos are a great way to consume leafy greens. Basil is the classic ingredients in a pesto, which, like many other greens is high in iron. We also added spinach to this recipe, which is loaded with nutrients and is considered a superfood. We recommend making your own pesto since store-bought options often are high in sodium and calorie dense, because of the olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. If you go for a store bought pesto, make sure that you get a lower calorie and low sodium option whithout parmesan or excessive amounts of olive oil.

Tags: low-carb, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, high-protein, plant-based, high-fiber, gastric sleeve, vsg, bariatric, diet, recipe, chicken, pesto

*The picture is meant for illustrative purposes and may sometimes not be representative of the serving size. For a precise serving size please follow the list of ingredients carefully, using grams as the most exact measurement.