Chicken Breasts with Pistachio-Cilantro Pesto

  • 4
  • 25 mins
  • 50 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted raw pistachios
  • 2 cups (packed) fresh cilantro leaves
  • 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup plus 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 4 large chicken breast halves with skin and ribs attached

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toast pistachios on baking sheet until golden, about 7 minutes. Transfer to processor. Maintain oven temperature. Add cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and next 3 ingredients to processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarse paste forms. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup olive oil. Season pesto with pepper.

Using fingers, gently loosen skin from 1 side of each chicken breast, forming pocket. Spread 1 tablespoon pesto evenly under skin of each. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down. Cook until skin is dark golden, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast chicken until cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Place 1/2 cup remaining pesto into small bowl. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Drizzle pesto sauce over chicken breasts and serve.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 902 calories, 70.0 g fat (11.4 g saturated fat), 142.9 mg cholesterol, 10.2 g carbs, 3.7 g dietary fiber, 2.7 g total sugars, 6.5 g net carbs, 57.8 g protein

Nutritional analysis provided by

Self