Healthy Baked Pesto Chicken

This post was originally published as Baked Pesto Chicken by Laurel on Health Food blog

Yesterday I had a MAJOR craving for pesto, so I made some organic chicken thighs with loads of pesto and fresh lemon juice. Wanted to share with you. This one has a super easy preparation because I used store-bought pesto. One of these days I’m gonna make my own pesto again and post the recipe here. But until then, this Baked Pesto Chicken is something you can put together in 5 minutes, stick in the oven, and forget about for an hour. Nice! I like using organic chicken thighs because they’re inexpensive and guaranteed to be moist. But, feel free to use skin-on chicken breast or whatever pieces are your favorite.

Baked Pesto Chicken

4-5 chicken thighs (skin on)
4-5 heaping tsp. prepared pesto
½ lemon
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken thighs in a glass baking dish. Using your fingers, separate the skin from each thigh and spread 1 tsp. of pesto under the skin, on top of the meat. Replace skin on top of each thigh and drizzle olive oil on top of the skins. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes. As soon as you take the chicken out of the oven, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of each thigh and let rest for 5 minutes before eating.

Tip 1: You can find prepared pesto in a jar near the tomato sauces in any grocery store. Look for all natural ingredients. Tip 2: For a comforting, home-style meal, serve these chicken thighs with boiled red potatoes and green beans.

Cold Weather Recipes

This post was originally published as Day 5: Cold Weather Recipes by Laurel on Health Food blog.

Did you think I’d get through a whole winter week without featuring a curry recipe? I think not! Day 5 is here already, and today’s recipe is for the curry lovers out there. You can serve this one with roasted sweet potatoes, brown rice, or a slice of whole grain bread. There’s lots of sauce, so it’s just begging for something to scoop up the leftovers.

Cold Weather Tip: During a snap of cold weather, you can stay warm and healthy by adding lots of spice to your daily meals, in anything from eggs and turkey sandwiches to pot roasts. One of my favorite spice blends is curry.  

Curry contains a healthy dose of turmeric, the warm yellow spice giving it a bright yellow color and anti-inflammatory benefits for the body. Turmeric has been used for ages as a natural healer, and experts often recommend it to keep your brain healthy and help avoid diseases such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and cancer. My mom keeps pure turmeric in a salt shaker and shakes it on foods on a daily basis. If you love curry like we do, this is a great healthy habit to keep in the winter and all year round.

Baked Curry Chicken
(serves 4)

Baked Curry Chicken topped with peanuts & cilantro

4 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
1 can diced tomatoes (about 14 oz.)
1 tbsp. coconut oil
2 celery stalks
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tbsp. curry powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt & pepper
Peanuts (for garnish)
Fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place 4 chicken thighs skin-up in a baking dish. Season with salt & pepper. Chop up the celery, onion, and garlic. Heat coconut oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and add the celery and onions. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 2 more minutes, then add the curry, chili powder, and paprika. Stir in the spices and add the can of tomatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Pour the sauce over the chicken, covering all the sides. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve each chicken thigh with an extra scoop of sauce on top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of peanuts.

Tip: If you have the funds, buy organic chicken.

See also Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4 of this marathon.

Celery, onions, garlic, curry, paprika, and chili powder