Pan grilled chicken with home made pesto sauce & a side of grated carrot

Its a simple weekday dinner in a  slightly healthy version (subsitute cheese for coconut milk in pesto sauce & instead of mashed potatoes a side of grated carrots) 

For pesto sauce (without cheese)

Fresh basil leaves - 1 bunch 

pine nuts  1/4  cup- toasted slightly
garlic cloves - 3/ 4
olive oil - one generous spoon full
salt to taste 
table spoon of coconut milk

For Chicken 


Make small incision in chicken pieces with knife  (instead of breast , i went for a large thigh piece,more succulent),  rub 3/4 of pesto sauce all over and leave it to marinate for an hour or so

After an hour in a non stick pan ..add a tea spoon of olive oil, add chicken piece and cover and cook each side of 10 mins on medium heat

Remove cover add remaining pesto sauce and cook on high for couple of minutes each side so it browns all over 

After an hour in a non stick pan ..add a tea spoon of olive oil, add chicken piece and cover and cook each side of 10 mins on medium heat 

For Side dish 

I love mashed potatoes with chicken , i mean who doesn't , but mashed potato definitely doesn't fall into the healthy food criteria so instead i used a side of grated carrot. I had it for the first time in one of the tiny restaurant in Auroville and have been making it since then. Not as great as mashed potato, but a close second.

Grate a large carrot  mix salt , a tablespoon of lemon juice & olive oil. Keep aside for 5 mins so all the flavour mix well.


Serve it with chicken once done.

Tasty & healthy weekday dinner ready to be served !