Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls

• servings: 6 servings
• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 ¼ teaspoons salt

¾ teaspoon ground pepper

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons

2 cups cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ¾ cups water

1 cup white quinoa

½ cup prepared basil pesto

Thinly sliced fresh basil for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Combine Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper in a small bowl.

Toss chicken, zucchini, tomatoes, oil and the Italian seasoning mixture together in a large bowl until evenly coated. Arrange chicken and vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Roast until the zucchini is tender, the tomatoes start to burst and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool for about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred, using 2 forks.

Meanwhile, combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Transfer the cooked quinoa and the roasted vegetables (with any juices from the baking sheet) to a large bowl. Add pesto; gently fold together until well combined. Divide the mixture among 6 bowls. Top evenly with the shredded chicken; garnish with basil, if desired.

Nutrition

• Calories: 327 kcal
• Total Fat: 21 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 104 mg
• Sodium: 783 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 15 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 23 g