Basil Pesto Chicken & Quinoa

It’s as wholesome as it is delish! Golden pan-fried chicken breast, basted in a rich basil pesto, and set atop quinoa, roast butternut, blistered baby tomatoes, and spinach. This dish is finished off with pumpkin seeds, creamy feta, and fresh parsley.

Basil Pesto Chicken & Quinoa

with butternut, baby tomato & feta

Hands on Time: 25 - 40 minutes

Overall Time: 45 - 60 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Baby Tomatoes
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Butternut
  • Chicken
  • Danish-style Feta
  • Free-range Chicken Breast
  • Free-range Chicken Breasts
  • Fresh Parsley
  • Pesto Princess Basil Pesto
  • Pumpkin Seeds
  • Quinoa
  • Spinach

From your kitchen:

  • Oil (cooking, olive or coconut)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Water
  • Paper Towel
  • Butter (optional)
Photo of Basil Pesto Chicken & Quinoa
  1. GET ROASTIN’

    Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the butternut chunks on a roasting tray. Coat in oil, season, and spread out evenly. Roast in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes, shifting halfway.

  2. GET YOUR QUINOA ON

    Rinse the quinoa and place in a pot. Submerge in 200ml of salted water, place over a medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer uncovered. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and the tails have popped out, adding more water if required. On completion, drain if necessary and return to the pot. Cover with a lid and stand off the heat for 5 minutes.

  3. BLISTERED BABY TOMATOES

    Place the baby tomatoes in a bowl, add a drizzle of oil, some seasoning and toss to coat. When the butternut has been roasting for 10-15 minutes, scatter over the baby tomatoes and continue to roast for the remaining time. On completion, the butternut should be cooked through and the tomatoes should have blistered and caramelised.

  4. SEEDS & PESTO

    Place a pan that has a lid over a medium heat. When hot, toast the pumpkin seeds for 3-5 minutes until beginning to pop and turn brown. Remove from the pan on completion. When the roast has 10 minutes to go, return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. When the pan is hot, fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes on one side until golden. Flip, pop on the lid, and fry for a further 5-7 minutes until cooked through. During the final minute, baste with ¾ of the basil pesto and a knob of butter (optional). Remove from the heat and rest in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing and seasoning. Reserve the pan juices.

  5. THE TOSS UP

    When the roast is ready, remove from the oven and add the cooked quinoa and rinsed spinach to the tray. If your tray isn’t big enough, transfer the ingredients to a bowl. Toss together until the spinach has wilted and the tomatoes have split. Pour over the vinegar to taste and crumble over ¾ of the drained feta. Toss again and season to taste.

  6. LET'S EAT

    Pile up the quinoa jumble and top with the slices of pesto chicken. Dollop with the remaining pesto and drizzle over the pan juices to taste. Garnish with the remaining feta, the toasted pumpkin seeds, and the chopped parsley. Wow, Chef!

  • Butternut - 250g

  • Quinoa - 75ml

  • Baby Tomatoes - 100g

  • Pumpkin Seeds - 10g

  • Free-range Chicken Breast - 1

  • Pesto Princess Basil Pesto - 25ml

  • Spinach - 20g

  • Balsamic Vinegar - 15ml

  • Danish-style Feta - 40g

  • Fresh Parsley - 4g

  1. GET ROASTIN’

    Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the butternut chunks on a roasting tray. Coat in oil, season, and spread out evenly. Roast in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes, shifting halfway.

  2. GET YOUR QUINOA ON

    Rinse the quinoa and place in a pot. Submerge in 400ml of salted water, place over a medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer uncovered. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and the tails have popped out, adding more water if required. On completion, drain if necessary and return to the pot. Cover with a lid and stand off the heat for 5 minutes.

  3. BLISTERED BABY TOMATOES

    Place the baby tomatoes in a bowl, add a drizzle of oil, some seasoning and toss to coat. When the butternut has been roasting for 10-15 minutes, scatter over the baby tomatoes and continue to roast for the remaining time. On completion, the butternut should be cooked through and the tomatoes should have blistered and caramelised.

  4. SEEDS & PESTO

    Place a pan that has a lid over a medium heat. When hot, toast the pumpkin seeds for 3-5 minutes until beginning to pop and turn brown. Remove from the pan on completion. When the roast has 10 minutes to go, return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. When the pan is hot, fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes on one side until golden. Flip, pop on the lid, and fry for a further 5-7 minutes until cooked through. During the final minute, baste with ¾ of the basil pesto and a knob of butter (optional). Remove from the heat and allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing and seasoning. Reserve the pan juices.

  5. THE TOSS UP

    When the roast is ready, remove from the oven and add the cooked quinoa and rinsed spinach to the tray. If your tray isn’t big enough, transfer the ingredients to a bowl. Toss together until the spinach has wilted and the tomatoes have split. Pour over the vinegar to taste and crumble over ¾ of the drained feta. Toss again and season to taste.

  6. LET'S EAT

    Pile up the quinoa jumble and top with the slices of pesto chicken. Dollop with the remaining pesto and drizzle over the pan juices to taste. Garnish with the remaining feta, the toasted pumpkin seeds, and the chopped parsley. Wow, Chef!

  • Butternut - 500g

  • Quinoa - 150ml

  • Baby Tomatoes - 200g

  • Pumpkin Seeds - 20g

  • Free-range Chicken Breasts - 2

  • Pesto Princess Basil Pesto - 50ml

  • Spinach - 40g

  • Balsamic Vinegar - 30ml

  • Danish-style Feta - 80g

  • Fresh Parsley - 8g

  1. GET ROASTIN’

    Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the butternut chunks on a roasting tray. Coat in oil, season, and spread out evenly. Roast in the hot oven for 35-40 minutes, shifting halfway.

  2. GET YOUR QUINOA ON

    Rinse the quinoa and place in a pot. Submerge in 600ml of salted water, place over a medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer uncovered. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and the tails have popped out, adding more water if required. On completion, drain if necessary and return to the pot. Cover with a lid and stand off the heat for 5 minutes.

  3. BLISTERED BABY TOMATOES

    Place the baby tomatoes in a bowl, add a drizzle of oil, some seasoning and toss to coat. When the butternut has been roasting for 15-20 minutes, scatter over the baby tomatoes and continue to roast for the remaining time. On completion, the butternut should be cooked through and the tomatoes should have blistered and caramelised.

  4. SEEDS & PESTO

    Place a pan that has a lid over a medium heat. When hot, toast the pumpkin seeds for 3-5 minutes until beginning to pop and turn brown. Remove from the pan on completion. When the roast has 10 minutes to go, return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. When the pan is hot, fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes on one side until golden. Flip, pop on the lid, and fry for a further 5-7 minutes until cooked through. During the final minute, baste with ¾ of the basil pesto and a knob of butter (optional). Remove from the heat and allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing and seasoning. Reserve the pan juices.

  5. THE TOSS UP

    When the roast is ready, remove from the oven and add the cooked quinoa and rinsed spinach to the tray. If your tray isn’t big enough, transfer the ingredients to a bowl. Toss together until the spinach has wilted and the tomatoes have split. Pour over the vinegar to taste and crumble over ¾ of the drained feta. Toss again and season to taste.

  6. LET'S EAT

    Pile up the quinoa jumble and top with the slices of pesto chicken. Dollop with the remaining pesto and drizzle over the pan juices to taste. Garnish with the remaining feta, the toasted pumpkin seeds, and the chopped parsley. Wow, Chef!

  • Butternut - 750g

  • Quinoa - 225ml

  • Baby Tomatoes - 300g

  • Pumpkin Seeds - 30g

  • Free-range Chicken Breasts - 3

  • Pesto Princess Basil Pesto - 75ml

  • Spinach - 60g

  • Balsamic Vinegar - 45ml

  • Danish-style Feta - 120g

  • Fresh Parsley - 12g

  1. GET ROASTIN’

    Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the butternut chunks on a roasting tray. Coat in oil, season, and spread out evenly. Roast in the hot oven for 35-40 minutes, shifting halfway.

  2. GET YOUR QUINOA ON

    Rinse the quinoa and place in a pot. Submerge in 800ml of salted water, place over a medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer uncovered. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and the tails have popped out, adding more water if required. On completion, drain if necessary and return to the pot. Cover with a lid and stand off the heat for 5 minutes.

  3. BLISTERED BABY TOMATOES

    Place the baby tomatoes in a bowl, add a drizzle of oil, some seasoning and toss to coat. When the butternut has been roasting for 15-20 minutes, scatter over the baby tomatoes and continue to roast for the remaining time. On completion, the butternut should be cooked through and the tomatoes should have blistered and caramelised.

  4. SEEDS & PESTO

    Place a pan that has a lid over a medium heat. When hot, toast the pumpkin seeds for 3-5 minutes until beginning to pop and turn brown. Remove from the pan on completion. When the roast has 10 minutes to go, return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. When the pan is hot, fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes on one side until golden. Flip, pop on the lid, and fry for a further 5-7 minutes until cooked through. During the final minute, baste with ¾ of the basil pesto and a knob of butter (optional). Remove from the heat and allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing and seasoning. Reserve the pan juices.

  5. THE TOSS UP

    When the roast is ready, remove from the oven and add the cooked quinoa and rinsed spinach to the tray. If your tray isn’t big enough, transfer the ingredients to a bowl. Toss together until the spinach has wilted and the tomatoes have split. Pour over the vinegar to taste and crumble over ¾ of the drained feta. Toss again and season to taste.

  6. LET'S EAT

    Pile up the quinoa jumble and top with the slices of pesto chicken. Dollop with the remaining pesto and drizzle over the pan juices to taste. Garnish with the remaining feta, the toasted pumpkin seeds, and the chopped parsley. Wow, Chef!

  • Butternut - 1kg

  • Quinoa - 300ml

  • Baby Tomatoes - 400g

  • Pumpkin Seeds - 40g

  • Free-range Chicken Breasts - 4

  • Pesto Princess Basil Pesto - 100ml

  • Spinach - 80g

  • Balsamic Vinegar - 60ml

  • Danish-style Feta - 160g

  • Fresh Parsley - 15g

Woolies Products in this dish

Photo of Bulk Diced Butternut 800 g

Bulk Diced Butternut 800 G

Photo of Free Range Skinless Chicken Thigh Fillets Avg 700 g

Free Range Skinless Chicken Thigh Fillets Avg 700 G

Photo of Baby Spinach 80 g

Baby Spinach 80 G

Photo of Red and White Quinoa Blend 250 g

Red And White Quinoa Blend 250 G

Photo of Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets Avg 1 kg

Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets Avg 1 Kg

Photo of Bulk Chopped Spinach 400 g

Bulk Chopped Spinach 400 G

Photo of Fresh Parsley 80 g

Fresh Parsley 80 G

Photo of Mini Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets 400 g

Mini Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets 400 G

Photo of Skinless Chicken Thigh Fillets Avg 700 g

Skinless Chicken Thigh Fillets Avg 700 G

Photo of Butternut Avg 900 g

Butternut Avg 900 G

Photo of Free Range Skinless Chicken Breast Avg 430 g

Free Range Skinless Chicken Breast Avg 430 G

Photo of Free Range Skinless Chicken Mini Breast Fillets 400 g

Free Range Skinless Chicken Mini Breast Fillets 400 G

Photo of Butternut 2.5 kg

Butternut 2.5 Kg

Photo of Free Range Chicken Drumstick Fillets Avg 800 g

Free Range Chicken Drumstick Fillets Avg 800 G

Photo of Fresh Parsley 30 g

Fresh Parsley 30 G

Photo of Pumpkin Seeds 250 g

Pumpkin Seeds 250 G

Photo of Baby Spinach 200 g

Baby Spinach 200 G

Photo of Chia, Quinoa and Sesame White Corn Cakes 130 g

Chia, Quinoa And Sesame White Corn Cakes 130 G

Photo of Swiss Chard Spinach 200 g

Swiss Chard Spinach 200 G

Photo of Skinless Chicken Breast Avg 450 g

Skinless Chicken Breast Avg 450 G

Photo of Carrot, Quinoa and Sesame Seed Cracker Cakes 80 g

Carrot, Quinoa And Sesame Seed Cracker Cakes 80 G

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