One-Pan Pesto Chicken and Veggies provides filling protein and a hearty serving of colorful vegetables for a speedy, flavor-packed weeknight meal!
What do your food habits say about you?
I recently read an unscientific but altogether amusing article written by Phil Mutz that assessed what people’s eating habits revealed about their personality.
Slow eaters, for example, supposedly make the most out of each and every moment, believe in completing a task well rather than quickly, and are often set in their routines.
Fast eaters, on the other hand, are said to be good multi-taskers, have a healthy sense of competition, and often put the needs of others before their own.
Mixers—those who like to get a little piece of everything in each bite—are reportedly outgoing, have strong relationships, and like to take on responsibility. With so many things on their plate (pun intended), however, they may over-commit.
The “Isolationist” is evidently one of the more unusual eating styles and describes a methodical pattern of eating one food item at a time. Isolationists are detail-oriented, cautious, and always think things through.
I brought up my “findings” at dinner that night, which was revealing in other ways. My younger son and husband like to keep their foods separate. I’m most definitely a mixer, while my older son said he eats each item before moving on to the next. In his nearly 20 years, I never knew this about him.
The discussion led to questions about how people eat corn on the cob—typewriter-style, round and round, or haphazardly, for example—and what that says about their personalities. Or when there’s something you don’t like on your plate, do you get it over with right away or let it linger and choke it down at the end? Perhaps you were one of those kids who was required to sit at the dinner table with a plate of peas long after everyone else vacated?
My husband offered that he’d be happy with a single item for dinner every night, like a bowl of rice. If we’d had this conversation years ago, I could have saved myself a lot of time in the kitchen!
Rice or another grain of choice would be a complementary side for the following entree, which comes together quickly in one pan and incorporates a variety of seasonal vegetables and filling protein. Pesto flavors the dish and is a perfect way to enjoy the seasonal bounty of basil, although store-bought pesto may certainly be used.
As you sit down to your next meal, you may even consider whether you aim for a little piece of everything on each forkful or save all the mushrooms for last. 😜 My hope is that you enjoy this easy dinner—and the amusing conversation it may inspire!
You can use your favorite store-bought or homemade pesto for this recipe–or try one of these…
Sunflower Basil Pesto is simple, economical, loaded with flavor, and ideal for families with a nut allergy. ⇩
Asiago Pesto Spread has less oil than the typical pesto but offers so much flavor. Both of these pesto recipes freeze beautifully. ⇩
One-Pan Pesto Chicken and Veggies
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
- 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 ounces baby bella or button mushrooms, quartered or halved if small
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken (breast or thigh meat), chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup basil pesto (I like this easy homemade recipe; may use sore-bought)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 12- to 14-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, and then add the asparagus and sauté until crisp tender, 3-5 minutes depending on thickness. Season with a little salt and pepper and remove to a plate.
- Drizzle 2 more teaspoons of oil into the pan, add the mushrooms and sauté until they release their liquid and are golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add a light sprinkle salt and pepper, and then transfer to the plate with the asparagus. (Tip: letting the mushrooms sit, stirring only occasionally, allows them to better caramelize and become golden brown.)
- Add the final 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan, followed by the chopped chicken, seasoning again with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, flipping a few times, until the chicken is just cooked through.
- Stir in the tomatoes and return the cooked asparagus and mushrooms to the pan. Add the pesto and stir to evenly coat. Cook 1-2 minutes more or until everything is heated through.
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