Impress family and friends with this one-skillet, Italian-inspired pesto chicken made with simple ingredients. This dish is great for easy weeknight dinners and entertaining. But, that’s not all. This low-carb, gluten-free chicken bake also packs in 20 grams of protein per serving!
Pan-Roasted Italian Chicken with Pesto
Ingredients
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 (4-ounce or 170 grams each) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 6 cups (4 ounces or 115 grams) baby spinach
- 1 cup (150 grams) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) prepared basil pesto (certified gluten-free if necessary)
Directions
Combine salt, pepper and zest; sprinkle evenly over both sides of chicken.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place chicken, skin side down, in pan. Cook 10 minutes, until skin crisps and browns. Drain drippings from pan. Turn chicken skin side up. Transfer to oven, and bake 15 minutes, until chicken reaches 155°F when tested with a thermometer.
Transfer chicken to a plate; do not drain remaining drippings. Stir lemon juice into skillet. Toss spinach and tomatoes in hot pan until spinach wilts slightly. Place chicken on spinach mixture, and spread each thigh with 1 tablespoon pesto, and serve hot.
Nutrition Information
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 thigh + 1 tablespoon pesto + 1 1/4 cups spinach and tomatoes
Per serving: Calories: 315; Total Fat: 23g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 73mg; Sodium: 716mg; Carbohydrate: 5g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 23g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 252mg; Iron: 7%; Vitamin A: 8%; Vitamin C: 12%; Calcium: 1%
