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Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Pesto Hen and Avocado – Drizzle Me Skinny!


Pesto Hen and Avocado is recent, vibrant, and every little thing you need in a wholesome dinner—with out feeling like “eating regimen meals.” Tender grilled hen will get a lift of basil taste from do-it-yourself water-based pesto, then lands on a plate stuffed with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and a sprinkle of cottage cheese. 

It’s gentle, filling, and lovely sufficient to publish on Instagram. At simply 6 Factors per serving, it’s proof that wholesome consuming might be as indulgent as it’s nutritious. Don’t miss our different favourite Weight Watchers dinner recipes for summer time meal concepts!

Healthy and vibrant Pesto Chicken and Avocado on a plate.Healthy and vibrant Pesto Chicken and Avocado on a plate.

Recipe Overview

  • Serving Measurement: 1 plate (500 g)
  • Variety of Servings: 2
  • Time to Prepare dinner: 20
  • 6 WW Factors Per Serving. You possibly can view the recipe on the WW App right here. (WW login required.)

Components in Pesto Hen and Avocado

Fresh and vibrant Pesto Chicken and Avocado ingredients in separate dishes on a counter.Fresh and vibrant Pesto Chicken and Avocado ingredients in separate dishes on a counter.
  • 2 boneless, skinless hen breasts (300 g)
  • 4 cups blended lettuce leaves (120 g)
  • ½ purple onion, thinly sliced (50 g)
  • 1 ripe avocado, sliced (150 g)
  • 1 cup purple cherry tomatoes, halved (150 g)
  • ¼ cup water-based pesto sauce (60 g / recipe beneath)
  • 1 tsp olive oil (5 ml)
  • ½ tsp salt (3 g)
  • ½ tsp black pepper (2 g)
  • ½ cup crumbled low-fat cottage cheese (113 g)

For Water-Primarily based Pesto (makes ¼ cup):

  • 1 cup recent basil leaves (20 g)
  • 1 tsp pine nuts (5 g)
  • 1 tsp grated Parmesan (5 g)
  • 3 tbsp water (45 ml)
  • Salt and pepper to style

Directions for making Pesto Hen and Avocado

  1. In a blender, mix basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmesan, water, salt, and pepper. Mix till clean, including additional water 1 tbsp at a time (as much as 2 tbsp) if wanted for consistency. 
  2. Rub 2 tbsp of pesto onto the hen breasts, coating them evenly. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes (or refrigerate for as much as 2 hours for deeper taste).
  3. Warmth olive oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high warmth. Prepare dinner the hen breasts for 6-7 minutes per aspect, urgent gently with a spatula to make sure even browning, till the inner temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Take away from warmth and let relaxation for five minutes earlier than slicing into strips.
  4. Divide lettuce, purple onion, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and cottage cheese between two plates. High with sliced hen and drizzle the reserved pesto over every little thing.
Chicken marinating in pesto sauce in a dish. Chicken marinating in pesto sauce in a dish.
tomatoes and zucchini being cut on a small cutting board. tomatoes and zucchini being cut on a small cutting board.
Chicken breasts browning on a grill. Chicken breasts browning on a grill.
Salad base assembled on two small plates. Salad base assembled on two small plates.

Ideas and Tips Part for Making Pesto Hen and Avocado

You don’t should look intently to note that the majority store-bought pesto sauces (although scrumptious) actually ooze oil. So, my first trick for this recipe is methods to make water-based pesto:

  • Some time again, I discovered that one of many foremost causes for oil-based pesto was preservation. That’s why I now make “single-day pesto”: place well-washed basil leaves on the backside of the blender, add 1 tsp pine nuts, 1 tsp Parmesan, and three tbsp water. Mix till creamy; if it wants extra liquid, add water tablespoon by tablespoon. Season with salt and pepper. You possibly can freeze it, however it’s greatest made recent the day you’ll eat it.
  • To raise your water-based pesto, add a skinny avocado slice (I did this for the dressing).
  • Marinate the hen breasts with pesto sauce at the least half-hour earlier than cooking: the basil infuses the meat with an fragrant taste.
  • To grill the hen correctly: warmth a grill pan on excessive for five minutes. Place the hen, press evenly with a spatula till it sizzles. Rotate it 90 levels to create grill marks and prepare dinner for 3 minutes. Then, flip it utterly and prepare dinner the opposite aspect.
  • After eradicating the hen from the grill, let it relaxation for five minutes earlier than slicing. This prevents the lettuce leaves from wilting. 

Grilled hen leg quarters with pesto sauce

Olive Backyard grilled margherita hen copycat

Hen pasta salad

  • 2 boneless, skinless hen breasts (300 g)
  • 4 cups blended lettuce leaves, 120 g
  • ½ purple onion, thinly sliced (50 g)
  • 1 ripe avocado, sliced (150 g)
  • 1 cup purple cherry tomatoes, halved (150 g)
  • ¼ cup water-based pesto sauce, 60 g / recipe beneath
  • 1 tsp olive oil, 5 ml
  • ½ tsp salt, 3 g
  • ½ tsp black pepper, 2 g
  • ½ cup crumbled low-fat cottage cheese, 113 g

For Water-Primarily based Pesto (Makes 1/2 cup)

Stop your display from going darkish

  • In a blender, mix basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmesan, water, salt, and pepper. Mix till clean, including additional water 1 tbsp at a time (as much as 2 tbsp) if wanted for consistency.

  • Rub 2 tbsp of pesto onto the hen breasts, coating them evenly. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes (or refrigerate for as much as 2 hours for deeper taste).

  • Warmth olive oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high warmth. Prepare dinner the hen breasts for 6-7 minutes per aspect, urgent gently with a spatula to make sure even browning, till the inner temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Take away from warmth and let relaxation for five minutes earlier than slicing into strips.

  • Divide lettuce, purple onion, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and cottage cheese between two plates. High with sliced hen and drizzle the reserved pesto over every little thing.

6 WW Factors per serving. 

Serving: 514gEnergy: 447kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 45gFats: 21gSaturated Fats: 4gLdl cholesterol: 118mgSodium: 955mgPotassium: 1161mgFiber: 9gSugar: 7.2gCalcium: 182mgIron: 3.8mg

Diet data is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.

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