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
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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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