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Hi friends! Things are a little crazy right now with basically the whole world in some form of quarantine due to COVID-19. I hope you are all staying safe and healthy out there! I figure what you need recipe wise during this time of Coronavirus, are meals that you can make from freezer and pantry staples. This Pesto chicken and rice skillet is quick and easy, coming together for dinner in just 30 minutes. It holds up great for meal prep and can be easily made with pantry and freezer staples that you probably already have on hand! This recipe is also gluten-free, dairy-free and made with real food ingredients.
This post is in partnership with Primal Kitchen Foods. All opinions are my own. I am so grateful to be able to work with a company whose products I truly love and believe in! Thank you for your continued support of both myself and Primal Kitchen Foods!
Chicken and Rice Skillet Ingredients
Like I mentioned before, this pesto chicken and rice meal can be made with some basic pantry and freezer staples. Here is what you will need.
- 4 Chicken Breasts, (you can sub for chicken thighs if needed, just be sure to alter the cooking time accordingly)
- Rice
- Chopped Spinach (I used fresh by frozen works too! Just be sure it’s thawed and drained of water)
- Cherry Tomatoes (You can sub a can of diced tomatoes drained of water)
- Chicken Broth (I love using bone broth to increase the protein content!)
- Seasoning and spices: dried basil, salt and pepper and minced garlic
- Primal Kitchen Foods Pesto Mayo
The Pesto Mayo is the star of the show! It makes for a delicious creamy base in this dish and gives the perfect pesto flavor. Primal Kitchen foods just keeps knocking it out of the park with their products and this no sugar added, paleo and keto friendly and Whole30 approved Pesto Mayo is no different. So good! I also plan on making a pasta salad with this come summer! (PS – Use code “BEAUTY10” on their website to save 10% off your order!)
Preparing your Chicken and Rice Skillet
The first step in preparing this pesto chicken and rice skillet, is to mix the seasonings, broth and mayo. I use a fork to mix this all together. It will be a tad clumpy but don’t worry, the mayo will melt once it gets heated. Once this mixture is added to the warmed skillet you simply add in your rice, make sure its mixed well into the broth then add your chicken breasts on top. After everything start to boil, you cover and cook until your chicken is just about cooked through. Then you’ll add in your spinach and tomatoes and cover for just a bit longer to the chicken is complete done. Easy peasy!
You can leave your chicken as is from here but I prefer to take a couple minutes to brown them on each side in some olive oil before serving. This gives your chicken a nice crisp on the outside and well, it just looks prettier. Totally optional step but I highly recommend taking the extra few minutes. After that you will have your delicious, creamy pesto chicken skillet!
This formula for a chicken and rice skillet can be made with so many different flavor profile and I am definitely excited to experiment!
Other Tasty Skillet Meals
Pesto Chicken and Rice Skillet (Gluten-Free, 30 Minute Meal)
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Dishes
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This creamy pesto chicken and rice skillet is the perfect easy weeknight meal. You can make this simple chicken skillet recipe using items found in your pantry or freezer. Not only is it so simple to make but it’s gluten-free and dairy-free, making it a healthy meal the whole family will love.!
Ingredients
- 1 –1.5 lb chicken breasts (4 breasts total. My chicken breasts were large so I cut them in half)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2–3 cups chopped spinach (or 1 package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed)
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes, drained)
- 1/3 cup Pesto Mayo
- 1–2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pat chicken breasts dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Mix together pesto mayo, chicken broth, rice and seasonings in a mixing bowl.
- Add olive oil and minced garlic to a warmed skillet on medium-high heat and sauté for 1-2 minutes
- Add to mayo, broth and rice mixture to skillet
- Top with chicken breasts and bring to a boil
- Once boiling, move rice mixture around with a spatula to avoid sticking to the bottom of the skillet, cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes or until chicken is almost completely cooked
- While chicken and rice are cooking, prepare your spinach and tomatoes
- Add chopped spinach and halved tomatoes to skillet, cover and cook for 3-5 more minutes
- Divide into 4 bowls and serve!
Notes
- *Nutrition facts are calculated for 1.5 lbs chicken breast
- *If using bone broth nutrition facts are as follows: cals: 530, fat: 21, carbs: 37, protein: 46
- *I recommend checking your skillet halfway though cooking to move rice around again to prevent sticking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe
- Calories: 510
- Fat: 21
- Carbohydrates: 36
- Protein: 41
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