Thai Basil Pesto with Chicken and Sweet Peppers
Nutritional Info
- Servings Per Recipe: 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 379.3
- Total Fat: 22.9 g
- Cholesterol: 24.7 mg
- Sodium: 633.9 mg
- Total Carbs: 27.9 g
- Dietary Fiber: 13.7 g
- Protein: 21.5 g
View full nutritional breakdown of Thai Basil Pesto with Chicken and Sweet Peppers calories by ingredient
Introduction
I bought a huge bag of Thai basil at the Asian grocery store the other day, and I couldn't think of what to do with it... and then it hit me: Thai pesto! As I'm currently limiting my carbohydrate intake, I chose to use shirataki noodles (aka, "miracle noodles"), which pack a lot of fiber with only 1 gram net carbs. Rice noodles would also work well, if you can't find shirataki, or just don't care for the taste/texture of it. I bought a huge bag of Thai basil at the Asian grocery store the other day, and I couldn't think of what to do with it... and then it hit me: Thai pesto! As I'm currently limiting my carbohydrate intake, I chose to use shirataki noodles (aka, "miracle noodles"), which pack a lot of fiber with only 1 gram net carbs. Rice noodles would also work well, if you can't find shirataki, or just don't care for the taste/texture of it.Number of Servings: 4
Ingredients
-
Pesto:
1 cup Thai basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Lime juice, from 1/2 lime
4 tablespoons cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 ounces dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 Thai bird chilies, (or more or less, depending on how much heat you like)
Stir Fry:
2 chicken breasts (skinless/boneless), diced into bite-sized chunks
4 medium red/yellow bell peppers, sliced in 1/4" strips
2 (8 oz) packages shirataki noodles, spaghetti or angel hair style
Garnish:
2 ounces dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
Directions
To prepare the pesto, add all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor or blender and pulse until chopped and combined. With the blade running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify the mixture. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Taste for seasoning, adjust as necessary, then set aside.
Heat a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add some cooking spray or a little drizzle of canola oil, and add the chicken chunks. Allow the chicken to sear a little on each side instead of constantly moving the chicken around in the pan. When the chicken is nearly cooked through, add the pepper strips and saute.
While the peppers cook, rinse and drain the shirataki noodles a couple times. You can also parboil and then drain the noodles, if you prefer.
When the chicken and peppers are cooked through, remove the pan from heat and add the pesto and stir to incoporate, then add the shirataki noodles. Toss well to combine.
Sprinkle 1/2 ounce of chopped peanuts on top of each dish before serving. You can also garnish with more Thai basil and/or cilantro, if you'd like. Makes four servings.
Number of Servings: 4
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user SAXXY27.
Heat a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add some cooking spray or a little drizzle of canola oil, and add the chicken chunks. Allow the chicken to sear a little on each side instead of constantly moving the chicken around in the pan. When the chicken is nearly cooked through, add the pepper strips and saute.
While the peppers cook, rinse and drain the shirataki noodles a couple times. You can also parboil and then drain the noodles, if you prefer.
When the chicken and peppers are cooked through, remove the pan from heat and add the pesto and stir to incoporate, then add the shirataki noodles. Toss well to combine.
Sprinkle 1/2 ounce of chopped peanuts on top of each dish before serving. You can also garnish with more Thai basil and/or cilantro, if you'd like. Makes four servings.
Number of Servings: 4
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user SAXXY27.