Ingredients
Method
- Heat the grill to a medium-high setting.
- Coat the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through, then remove and let rest.
- Process the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.
- Add spiralized zucchini to a large skillet over medium heat and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until tender.
- Take the skillet off the heat and mix in the pesto until the noodles are evenly coated.
- Slice the chicken and place it over the zucchini noodles, serving with additional pesto if wanted.
Notes
Grilling Strategy: I always use a meat thermometer to pull my chicken at 160 degrees because the carryover cooking while it rests brings it to a perfect 165 degrees without drying it out.
Texture Control: I have learned the hard way that zucchini noodles release a lot of water, so I only sauté them for a couple of minutes to keep that slight crunch I love.
Flavor Boost: If I want a bit more bite in my pesto, I like to toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for a minute before blending them to release those natural oils.
Clean Sear: To get those beautiful grill marks I look for, I make sure my grates are screaming hot and well-oiled before the chicken ever touches the metal.
Freshness Tip: If I have leftover pesto, I store it in a small jar with a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent the basil from oxidizing and turning brown in the fridge.
Nut Substitution: When I do not have pine nuts in the pantry, I find that toasted walnuts or even sunflower seeds provide a great earthy base for this sauce.
Serving Suggestion: I like to finish this dish with a pinch of red pepper flakes and an extra squeeze of lemon juice to cut through the richness of the Parmesan and oil.