Grilled Chicken With Walnut Pesto

I have recently started a clean eating diet and a dedicated work out plan to kick off the new year. So far, it's been going really well and I am really starting to notice some positive changes in myself both physically and mentally.

I've been trying to come up with new recipes that are part of this clean eating diet. This involves straying away from any artificial ingredients and trying to incorporate more fresh veggies and fruits, as well as nuts and other lean proteins.

I thought pesto would be an awesome recipe to try since it incorporates heart healthy herbs and olive oil, as well as protein filled nuts. A typical pesto recipe uses pine nuts- however I decided to use walnuts and have them be my superfood this week.

As it turns out, you can really use any combination of greens in your pesto and any nut of your choosing. In my recipe, I use a combination of basil and arugula with the walnuts, but you could try using spinach, cilantro, or even kale! For the nut portion try using walnuts like I did or almonds, cashews, or hazelnuts. Be creative, it's really hard to make a bad pesto!

Besides being a great source of protein, walnuts also provide omega 3 fatty acids which can help reduce bad cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. There are also studies that show that eating nuts such as walnuts daily can lower your risk of getting many forms of cancer. Yes, nuts are a calorie loaded snack that should be eaten in moderation, but it's good to know that they do so many wonderful things for your body!

As you'll see in the recipe, I used an odd ingredient which is anchovy paste. I happen to love the flavor of anchovies but absolutely hate the texture so this ingredient is the perfect choice for me. The paste comes in a super convenient tube you can store in the fridge so you can use it again and again. If you do not like the salty anchovy taste, just omit it and add a little sea salt instead!

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5-8 oz. each)

2 cups torn basil leaves

1/2 cup arugula leaves

1/2 cup walnut pieces

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp. anchovy paste (optional)

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. grated parmesan or pecorino romano

1/4 cup olive oil

2-4 tbsp. water

salt/pepper to taste

Directions

1) Place basil, arugula, walnut, garlic, anchovy paste, and lemon juice in food processor. Pulse a few times then begin mixing thoroughly. 

2) Slowly add olive oil to the herb mixture and process until completely combined

3) Pour pesto into small bowl and stir in grated cheese.

4) If consistency is too thick, add water 1 tbsp. at a time until desired consistency is reached

5) Place raw chicken breasts in food storage bag

6) Pour 2 tbsp. of pesto into bag with chicken and marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator

7) Preheat grill pan with non-stick cooking spray over medium high heat for 5 minutes

8) When pan is hot, add chicken and cook roughly 5 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked through.

9) Spoon remainder of pesto over the top of the chicken and enjoy :)