I love green! It’s my favourite colour and one of my favourite flavours.
Yes, green is a flavour. It’s crisp, clean, raw, rustic, peppery, pure — the alliterated list goes on.
This chicken dish is made with all-green main ingredients (the chicken being one of the only exceptions). The biggest green machine in this recipe is basil pesto, which has punchy flavours that fill your entire home while cooking. It’s magical!
Who’s hungry? Vincent and I, which means this recipe serves two (with a little left over for midnight snacking, too).
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks (skin on)
- 130 g basil & chilli pesto
- 30 ml olive oil
- half an onion, chopped or sliced
- 100 g green beans, halved
- 8 courgettes, halved lengthways
- 150 g shredded spinach
- 10 ml Italian herbs
- parmesan shavings for garnish
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- 25 ml butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Let’s cook
Put all of your chicken pieces into a container and add almost all of the basil pesto. Leave a little for later, to add to some of the other elements.
Mix it thoroughly; add a splash of olive oil, some Italian herbs, salt and pepper too.
Pop them into a medium-heated frying pan with enough olive oil to coat the bottom completely. Add the onions to the same pan and sprinkle Italian herbs over them.
Brown one side of the chicken for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, get another pot on the stove for the spinach and green beans. Add a little oil to the pot and then add the spinach. Wilt it over low to medium heat. Don’t forget to season it.
By now, the onions should be crisping up on the edges. Turn your chicken pieces over.
Take all of the onion bits out of the chicken pan and add them, along with the green beans, to the pot of spinach.
Add some more basil pesto to the pot and season to taste.
Pop your courgette halves into the chicken pan, skin-side up.
Add any remaining basil pesto to the courgettes and chicken pieces. Just use the back of your spoon to smear it on. Sprinkle some parmesan over it all, too.
Cover the pan and let it cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. When your beans and spinach are cooked, turn the heat off and just let it rest until you’re ready to serve.
Your courgettes should be soft but not mushy and nicely browned. Turn them over to check.
Remove all of the courgettes before they overcook and place them aside until your chicken is done cooking.
Add the butter to the pan for the final 5 minutes of cooking. Use a spoon and continuously scoop butter over the chicken to baste it properly.
Plate your meal
Start by creating a cross-hatch with your courgettes. Then plop two spoonfuls of the spinach and green beans on top of them.
Place two drumsticks on top of the greens.
Put a dollop of crème fraîche on the side, crack some black pepper over it all and sprinkle parmesan on top.
Dig in!
Get the print-ready recipe here
Jana's Green Chicken
Basil pesto chicken served on a bed of spinach and green beans that all rest on a cross-hatch of courgettes. A dollop of creme fraiche on the side makes this green dish even more great!
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks (skin on)
- 130 g basil & chilli pesto
- 30 ml olive oil
- half an onion, chopped or sliced
- 100 g green beans, halved
- 8 courgettes, halved lengthways
- 150 g shredded spinach
- 10 ml Italian herbs
- parmesan shavings for garnish
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- 25 ml butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Put all of your chicken pieces into a container and add almost all of the basil pesto. Leave a little for later, to add to some of the other elements.
- Mix it thoroughly; add a splash of olive oil, some Italian herbs, salt and pepper too.
- Now pop the chicken into a medium-heated frying pan with enough olive oil to coat the bottom completely. Add the onions to the same pan and sprinkle Italian herbs over them.
- Brown one side of the chicken for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, get another pot on the stove for the spinach and green beans. Add a little oil to the pot and then add the spinach. Wilt it over low to medium heat. Don’t forget to season it.
- By now, the onions should be crisping up on the edges. Turn your chicken pieces over.
- Take all of the onion bits out of the chicken pan and add them, along with the green beans, to the pot of spinach.
- Add some more basil pesto to the pot and season to taste.
- Pop your courgette halves into the chicken pan, skin-side up.
- Add any remaining basil pesto to the courgettes and chicken pieces. Use the back of your spoon to smear it on. Sprinkle some parmesan over it all, too.
- Cover the pan and let it cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. When your beans and spinach are cooked, turn the heat off and just let it rest until you’re ready to serve.
- Your courgettes should be soft but not mushy and nicely browned. Turn them over to check. If they’re ready, remove them from the pan and let them rest until the chicken is done.
- Add the butter to the pan for the final 5 minutes of cooking. Use a spoon and continuously scoop butter over the chicken to baste it properly.
- Plate up! Start by creating a cross-hatch with your courgettes. Then plop two spoonfuls of the spinach and green beans on top of them. Finally add the chicken pieces on top.
- Crack pepper on top and sprinkle parmesan over everything. Then add a dollop of creme fraiche on the side.
Jana Cooks 