March 12 2020 recipe & photo by Naomi Sherman![Naomi Sherman]()
, nutritional review by Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE![Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE]()
in Recipes, Dinner, Meal
, nutritional review by Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE
in Recipes, Dinner, Meal Keto chicken pesto zoodle salad
A Mediterranean feast, combining all of those classic flavors of basil, tomato and feta in a fresh and delicious salad. The shredded chicken absorbs the pesto flavor and the tart feta paired with the sweetness of the tomatoes makes for a yummy, quick and easy low carb salad.
Editor's note: In 2020, this recipe was one of the top 10 most popular Diet Doctor recipes. We hope you love it as well!
USMetric
servingservings
Ingredients
- 11⁄3 lbs 600 g boneless chicken thighs
- 1⁄3 cup (2¾ oz.) 80 ml (80 g) sugar-free green pesto
- 5 oz. 140 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 oz. (¾ cup) 110 g (170 ml) feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
- 12 oz. 350 g zucchini or zucchini noodles
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp olive oil
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Making low carb simple
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a medium pot and add cold water until the chicken is just covered.
- Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the water and shred it using two forks. Set aside.
- While the chicken is cooking, spiralize the zucchini and place the zoodles in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the pesto over the zoodles, and toss with tongs to completely coat the zoodles.
- Add shredded chicken, tomatoes, and feta to the zoodles and gently toss with tongs until evenly combined. Drizzle with olive oil.
Tip
Make a big batch because this dish tastes even better served the next day! The noodles are softer and the chicken is more moist.
Can I cook the zoodles if I don't want to serve them raw?
If you don't want to eat raw zoodles, you can sauté them briefly in olive oil. Alternatively, sprinkle with salt and cook them in the microwave or boiling water for a minute.
Recommended special equipment
Spiralizer
Yes! So glad you enjoyed it!
Fresh pesto is the best! Thanks for the tips!
You may use the one you prefer with the understanding that chicken breast will have a bit less fat than chicken thighs.
I think it would be good cold, but you can try it both ways. If you reheat, I would do it in a skillet, as the zuchinni may not hold up well to being reheated in a microwave.
Yes, this would be great with rotisserie chicken!