Arugula + Pistachio Pesto Chicken Salad
The best Spring time pesto that coats roast chicken just right, served with mixed greens, buffalo mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. Simple salads unite.
Ah, this pesto is killer. With lots of peppery arugula, lemon zest, and nutty salty pistachios all mixed with olive oil and garlic. Give me a spoon.
What I might love most about this recipe, well besides the amazing arugula and pistachio pesto is that you can use store bought roasted chicken.
You know the rotisserie chickens that smell amazing and taste delicious too!
Skip the step of roasting chicken breasts and use some help from your local grocery store. This recipe comes together in less than 6 minutes. Promise.
Make it into a sandwich
When my husband saw this pesto coated roast chicken, he immediately started slicing a brioche bun in half.
I totally get it.
Smash everything between two buns and it’s going to be good. Especially this crazy good Arugula + Pistachio Pesto along with the mixed greens and extra arugula. He even spooned on more of the pesto for both sides of the brioche bun. So good.
Pesto Love.
If I need to convince you that pesto is where it’s at, then you have to try my Brown Butter Zuchinni Pasta with Carrot Top Pesto – because carrot tops shouldn’t be wasted. Try more pesto in this Roasted Butternut Squash + Pesto Lasagna, using my favorite gluten free noodles.
And since chimichurri is a sister to pesto, I made it in this Cumin Salt Rubbed Steaks with Cilantro Chimichurri and then again in this Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Lemon Chimichurri recipe.
More recipes with roast chicken.
Arugula + Pistachio Pesto Chicken Salad
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup high quality olive oil
- 1/2 cup shelled roasted and salted pistachios
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 pinch salt and black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 heaping handful fresh arugula, plus more for salad
- mixed greens, enough for a salad
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- buffalo mozzarella balls (or regular mozzarella), sliced in half
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, pistachios, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon zest and arugula to a blender. Blender until smooth.
- Mix about 1/2 of the pesto with 2 cups shredded roast chicken (see the notes below).
- Arrange the mixed greens and any added arugula to a shallow bowl for serving. Arrange the tomatoes and mozzarella around the greens. Add the chicken on top. Serve with additional pesto.
Notes
If you don’t have roast or rotisserie chicken, bake 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts in a preheated 425F oven. Salt and pepper and drizzle some olive oil on top before placing in your oven. Cook for 12 minutes. Remove and let cool before shredding and mixing with the pesto.
If desired, drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt over the mixed greens, if you need more of a dressing for the salad.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: salad
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: salad
Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @whitesparrowfoodco or #whitesparrowfoodco I’d love to hear what you thought of the recipe!
You might also like
