Pesto Grilled Chicken and Asparagus
with plum and citrus salad

Name: Pesto Grilled Chicken and Asparagus
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp Vinegar, apple cider; 2 tsp Honey; 2 tsp Mustard, Dijon; 3 Tbsp Oil, cooking; 2 Plums, sliced; 1 Oranges, segmented; 8 oz Spinach, baby; 1/4 cup Almonds, sliced or slivered; 2 Tbsp Pine nuts (sub walnuts or pecans); 1 clove Garlic, peeled; 1 oz Cheese, parmesan (opt), grated; 1 1/2 oz Basil, fresh; 2 tsp Lemon juice; 3 Tbsp Oil, olive; 8 Skewers, wooden or metal; 1 lb Asparagus, trimmed; 1 lb Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cubed; ~1/4 cup Pesto (ingredients listed separately)

Active: 40 min Total: 40 min

Original GF Paleo Vegetarian

Simple and fresh, these grilled chicken skewers get a ton of flavor from a coating of pesto right before serving.
Smarts: Assemble skewers up to a day ahead to keep prep time short when you're ready to cook.

Ingredients

Metric

Servings:

Plum and Citrus Salad:

Vinegar, apple cider - 2 Tbsp
Honey - 2 tsp
Mustard, Dijon - 2 tsp
Oil, cooking - 3 Tbsp
Plums - 2 , sliced
Oranges - 1 , segmented
Spinach, baby - 8 oz
Almonds, sliced or slivered - 1/4 cup

Basil Pesto:

Pine nuts - 2 Tbsp (sub walnuts or pecans)
Garlic - 1 clove , peeled
Cheese, parmesan (opt) - 1 oz , grated
Basil, fresh - 1 1/2 oz
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Oil, olive - 3 Tbsp

Pesto Grilled Chicken and Asparagus:

Skewers, wooden or metal - 8
Asparagus - 1 lb , trimmed
Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless - 1 lb , cubed
Pesto (ingredients listed separately) - ~1/4 cup

Prep

Skewers - If cooking on an outdoor grill and using wooden skewers, soak skewers in water for at least 10 minutes so that they don’t burn.
Make pesto - Skip if pesto was made ahead for Monday. (If prepping right before cooking and using grill, get grill heating before continuing with prep.) Toast nuts in a dry skillet or frying pan until fragrant and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Peel garlic cloves. Place nuts, garlic, cheese (if using), basil leaves, and lemon juice in a food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are well chopped. With food processor running, drizzle in olive oil until smooth. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Make vinaigrette - Whisk apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard, and cooking oil. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Asparagus - Snap ends off asparagus. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
Chicken - Slice chicken into cubes. Tenderize with a fork and season with some salt and pepper. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
Assemble skewers - Thread skewers through chicken. If using round skewers, use two / kebab to make it easier to flip. Lightly season with some salt and pepper.
Plums / Oranges - Prep as directed.

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Make

If cooking on a grill: Preheat grill to 450F / 232C degrees. Clean grates and brush grates, chicken, and asparagus with some oil. Place chicken and asparagus over direct heat. Grill chicken and asparagus until chicken is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes on each side, with the cover closed. Remove from heat; if using thicker spears, you might have to cook asparagus for a bit longer.
If cooking on the stovetop: Heat grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with some oil. Place chicken and asparagus onto hot pan and grill both for 4 to 6 minutes on each side (cook the chicken first if it won’t all fit). Remove chicken from heat; if using thicker spears, you might have to cook asparagus for a bit longer.
Brush chicken and asparagus with pesto and season with some salt and pepper.
Toss vinaigrette with plums, oranges, and spinach. Top salad with sliced almonds.
Enjoy chicken and asparagus with salad on the side.

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