Pesto Chicken over Spaghetti Squash

The other day I ran to the store with a long list of stuff for the week’s groceries. I wanted to make the spinach bread recipe from the Primal Blueprint Cookbook. It called for basil and pine nuts so I picked those up. However, when  I got home and went to make the bread, I realized that spinach was probably necessary for spinach bread. And though I always have frozen spinach on hand, I would need fresh for this. I planned to run back to the store to get some.

Yeah, that never happened. Welcome to my life.

So come Thursday, I’m moving stuff around in the fridge looking for something and I saw the giant tub of basil I had bought. Some of the leaves were looking as wilted as Larry King and I HATE throwing food away. I make a point to try and figure out something – anything – to do rather than waste it. Cut it up, freeze it, make a salad, something.

But I remembered the pine nuts so I decided to make pesto. One of my favorite ways to eat pesto used to be with chicken or shrimp tossed with pasta and olive oil. But just because I don’t eat pasta anymore doesn’t mean I can’t have spaghetti!

Pesto Chicken Over Spaghetti Squash

For the pesto

• 2 c. fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 c. pine nuts
• 1/4-1/2 c. olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1-2 small chicken breasts, cut up
• spaghetti squash cooked

What you do:

• In a food processor (or a blender would work as well), put in the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and cheese.
• Turn on and through the lid, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until it reaches the correct consistency: thick but smooth.
• Cook diced chicken in a saucepan with some salt, pepper, and olive oil.
• Add 1-2 tbsp of pesto and toss until chicken is coated.
• Serve over cooked spaghetti squash. (If you’ve never cooked one: simply cut in half, scoop seeds and microwave for 6-8 minutes, depending on size or until the strands come out easily and are soft.)
• Add extra pesto to the squash if you want.
• Freeze any leftover pesto!