Pesto Chicken Bowl (Print)

Tender pesto-marinated chicken over fluffy rice with fresh vegetables for a nourishing meal.

# Components:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Rice

06 - 1 1/4 cups uncooked jasmine or basmati rice
07 - 2 cups water
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Fresh Vegetables & Toppings

09 - 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
11 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
12 - 1 medium avocado, sliced
13 - 2 cups baby spinach or mixed salad greens
14 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, optional
15 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# Directions:

01 - In a bowl, combine chicken pieces, basil pesto, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well, cover, and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor development.
02 - Rinse rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
03 - While rice cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add marinated chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and lightly browned.
04 - Halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, slice onion and avocado, and wash spinach or greens. Keep components separate until assembly.
05 - Divide cooked rice among 4 serving bowls. Top with cooked chicken, fresh vegetables, and greens. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
06 - Serve immediately. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting for flavor, so you dont need a spice cabinet full of ingredients.
  • You can prep each component ahead and assemble bowls in under five minutes when hunger hits.
  • It works warm, cold, or room temperature, which makes it perfect for packed lunches or lazy dinners.
  • The vegetables stay crunchy and fresh because theyre never cooked, just tossed in at the end.
02 -
  • Dont skip rinsing the rice, the first time I made this I skipped it and ended up with gummy clumps instead of fluffy grains.
  • Pull the chicken off the heat the moment its cooked through, even 30 seconds too long and it goes from tender to dry.
  • If your pesto tastes too salty, add a squeeze of lemon juice to the chicken marinade to balance it out.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for two minutes, they turn golden and fragrant and taste ten times better than raw.
  • Use chicken thighs if you want a more forgiving cook, theyre harder to dry out and have more flavor than breasts.
  • Make a double batch of the pesto chicken and freeze half, it thaws beautifully and cuts your prep time in half next week.
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