Basil Chicken Zoodles
If you are craving a light “pasta” dish give these basil chicken zoodles a try! Fresh zucchini squash, basil, tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, and feta cheese dance perfectly together in this bowl as you slurp up the last drop.
Have you tried zucchini noodles (AKA “zoodles”) before? They are a fantastic alternative to traditional pasta. Whether you are trying to avoid gluten, decrease carbohydrate intake, or simply add more whole vegetables into your diet, they are a fun way to play with pasta dishes. Zucchini is great for taking on any flavors and spices that you decide to dress it up with.
Whenever I see pre-packaged zoodles at the grocery store, they often look over-processed – even though they are not, as the ingredients are simply: zucchini. Something about buying a plastic tub full of dried out zucchini noodles turns me off. Often overpriced compared to homemade, I would rather have the fresh (and more affordable) version made at home. There are so many different spiralizer gadgets that you can purchase to have fun making zoodles in your own kitchen.
Unfortunately, being in my Class B RV Airstream Interstate, I do not have such equipment on-board my tiny kitchen. What I do have though, is my trusty vegetable peeler and chef’s knife! I make my zoodles by peeling thin planks of zucchini with my peeler. Stack the planks in an even, flat stack. Next, use your knife to slice into beautiful thin strips. This method will result in a linguine shaped zoodle.
This recipe uses pre-cooked chicken so that you can whip up a fresh and healthy meal in a fraction of the time. I always cook up my proteins in bulk as part of my prep routine. I save on time and dishes by handling raw meat multiple times per day – who has time for that?
Looking for another unique noodle recipe? Try out my Ginger Chicken, which uses buckwheat (soba) noodles!
Basil Chicken Zoodles
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz diced pre-cooked chicken breast
- 1 tsp olive oil divided
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 medium-sized zucchini squash 7 oz
- 5 oz cherry tomatoes sliced in have vertically
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ fresh cracked black pepper
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 oz crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tbl fresh basil chiffonade
Instructions
- Heat a small 8” skillet over medium-high heat. Add ¼ of the olive oil to the pan then add the chicken to sear.
- Reduce heat to medium and add remaining oil and garlic. Cook garlic for 30-60 seconds stirring frequently with rubber scraper, then add in the zucchini squash. Toss to coat the zucchini with the oil and garlic.
- Add in the tomatoes, salt, pepper, lemon juice, most of the feta (reserve some for garnish), and most of the basil (reserve some for garnish). Stir until well combined and let heat through.
- Serve in a bowl topped with remaining feta and basil.
