Healthy Pesto Chicken Kebabs with Cool Quinoa Pilaf
Fresh and healthy Pesto Chicken Kebabs with Cool Quinoa Pilaf, a light dinner with massive appeal!
I’ve recently discovered a personal annual trend… Year after year, I find myself slipping from my healthy eating plan somewhere between Valentine’s Day and Easter.
The promise of chocolate hearts and chocolate bunnies is just too much for me, and I spiral into a habit of making way too many allowances in my diet. Later I dig myself out of the naughty rut I’ve created with lots of salad and lean protein.
Anyone share this recurring problem?
This year, I’ve caught myself early.
I’m suddenly aware of the junky snacks and chocolate sneaking their way into the pantry in greater volumes, and I’m putting a stop to it right now.
This week I threw out cookies from the freezer, leftover Valentine’s Day candy hiding behind my canned goods, and several boxes of highly processed snacks. Then I went to ALDI to stock up (and save money) on healthy snack foods, fresh produce, and ingredients to make lighter dinners.
ALDI has so many fantastic healthy food options within their exclusive brands!
I love the SimplyNature line of pantry staples like organic grains, salad mixes, low fat dairy, and mindful snacks. The Never Any! brand offers fresh meats with no antibiotics, added hormones, or animal by-products.
Today’s light and vibrant Pesto Chicken Kebabs with Cool Quinoa Pilaf, is a recipe inspired by clean ingredients I found at ALDI.
Pesto Chicken Kebabs with Cool Quinoa Pilaf is a light gluten-free meal you can feel good about serving your family.
It’s made with lean hormone-free chicken, pesto, organic quinoa, and lots of fresh produce!
The pop of cool crisp cucumbers, sweet mango, and strawberries in the quinoa, perfectly balance the basil pesto on the chicken.
Although this easy dinner is healthy, it is far from boring! Huge wow-factor comes from ample color, textures, and contrasting flavors.
In fact, Healthy Pesto Chicken Kebabs with Cool Quinoa Pilaf have inspired me to rethink my method of clean eating.
Instead of trying to sneak healthy ingredients into recipes, I want them to shine like they do in this quinoa pilaf!
See how gorgeous it is?
You can find tons of gluten-free, whole foods, and low-carb recipes here on ASP.
This year you can also find fabulous healthy living resources on ALDI.us. Watch for videos, meal plans, and recipes to suit all sorts of eating plans.
Then head over to your local ALDI store to find all sorts of deliciously healthy foods, while saving money!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by ALDI. All opinions are my own.
Pesto Chicken Kebabs with Cool Quinoa Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon SimpleNature Organic Coconut Oil, or olive oil
- 4 Kirkwood Never Any! Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1/3 cup Priano Genovese Pesto Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups SimplyNature Organic Quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cucumber
- 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 mango, peeled and chopped
- 3/4 cup Southern Grove Slivered Almonds
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Salt and pepper, Stonemill Sea Salt Grinder and Whole Black Pepper Grinder
- 12 wooden skewers
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium-low heat, about 300 degree F. Soak wooden skewers in water for 20+ minutes so they don't burn up on the grill. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Place them in a bowl and toss the chicken pieces with pesto sauce. Set aside.
- Place the slivered almonds in a medium sauce pot and set over medium heat. Toast the almonds for 3-5 minutes, stirring every minute, until they are golden brown. Then pour the almonds onto a plate.
- Set the same sauce pot back over medium heat. Add the oil and quinoa. Allow the quinoa to toast for 2-3 minutes. Then add 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Simmer the quinoa for 15-20 minutes, until the water has absorbed and vent holes form on the surface of the quinoa. Remove from heat and let the quinoa rest for 10 minutes, covered. Then fluff with a fork and pour the quinoa into a large salad bowl to cool.
- Meanwhile, slide the chicken pieces onto 12 skewers. Grill the chicken kebabs for 5 minutes. Carefully flip them over and grill another 5-7 minutes. Move the kebabs to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
- While the kebabs are grilling, add the chopped cucumber, red onion, strawberries, mango, toasted almonds, and cilantro to the cooled quinoa. Toss well. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve the pesto chicken kebabs warm over the cool quinoa pilaf.
Notes
Nutrition
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I love all combinations of pesto and chicken. Looks delicious!
YUM!!! That quinoa looks amazing! Love how fresh the flavors are! ALDI rocks too. They’ve got great organic stuff these days.
EVERYTHING is better on a stick!
My pantry could use a good purge too! And that pilaf looks delish!