Creamy Pesto Chicken Primavera
Dinner, Main Dish, Poultry
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (357g) cream, heavy whipping
1 cup (387.75g) basil pesto (recipe)
1/4 cup (54g) extra virgin olive oil (Buy Now)
1 lbs (454g) boneless chicken, cut into strips
1/4 large (210g) bunch broccoli, including stalks, cut into florets
2 each (236g) small green zucchini, cut into half moons
1 bunch (227g) asparagus, cut into about 1-1/2 inch sticks
1/2 cup (56.8g) real bacon bits
1 cup (100g) parmesan cheese, grated
16 leaves (6.4g) fresh basil, whole or hand torn
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Note: This is done quickly and with a very hot pan. Have everything ready to go and then ... just sauté it up hot, then eat! I might also suggest splitting all your ingredients into two halves and either doing this in 2 hot pans at the same time, or in 2 quick batches. It goes quick and will help keep things hot and moving.
In a bowl, mix together your pesto and cream. Set aside.
Olive oil burns quickly when it's added to a hot pan, so instead, we're going to toss our chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. This will help keep it from burning.
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat.
Sprinkle your chicken around the bottom of the hot pan and let it sear and get nice and golden on one side. Do not crowd the pan. Drizzle any extra oil from the chicken bowl into the pan.
Add your broccoli and toss together with the chicken. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute.
Add your zucchini to the pan and toss. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute.
Add your asparagus to the pan and toss. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes.
Add your bacon bits to the pan and cook for about 1 minute.
Pour your pesto cream sauce into the pan and swirl all the ingredients together. When the cream sauce begins to noticeably thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes, dust the pan with your grated parmesan cheese and toss or stir the ingredients together.
Serve! Top with fresh basil leaves.