Pesto Chicken Salad – Lexi’s Clean Kitchen

this Pesto Chicken Salad A fun and fresh take on a classic lunch staple.Juicy chicken breasts are cooked in the skillet for extra hands-free prep, shredded or diced, then tossed with fresh spinach, basil pesto and pine nuts. It’s simple, fresh, healthy and perfect for meal prep!

Easy Crockpot Recipe for Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is one of those classic meal prep recipes you can always rely on. But it’s also fun to switch up the flavors a bit sometimes!

We have some fun chicken salad recipes, including Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Salad, Taco Chicken Saladand Apple Dill Chicken Salad…but this Pesto Chicken Salad might just be the best chicken salad recipe ever.

This version is a mayo-free chicken salad made with a dairy-free pesto. It has vanilla flavor and is very, very delicious!

Required raw materials

• chicken breast: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts.
• chicken soup: You need enough chicken broth to completely cover the chicken breasts in the pot.
• Fragrance: We use a little fresh garlic and onion to create a flavor base for the chicken.
• seasoning: I like to keep it simple with salt and pepper. Chicken stock adds so much flavor!
• Spinach Basil Pesto: Our easy homemade pesto is made with basil, fresh spinach, raw cashews, Parmesan (optional), olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and pine nuts.

How to Make Chicken Salad

This easy chicken salad recipe requires very little prep work. And since the chicken is cooked in the pot, it’s super easy!

Here is a detailed description of the recipe. Scroll to the recipe card below for full instructions and ingredient counts!

1. To cook the chicken: Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, and pour the broth over them. Add the garlic, onion, salt and pepper, then cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
2. To make the pesto: In a food processor or blender, combine basil, spinach, cashews, Parmesan, oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.
3. To prepare the chicken salad: When the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan, shred or dice, and toss with the pesto and pine nuts. Serve as needed.

Can you put raw chicken straight into the slow cooker?

Yes! The chicken was served raw in the pot and came out tender, juicy and cooked. No additional cooking required.

Don’t skip the broth, though. Cooking chicken in a slow cooker does require liquid! It adds flavor and keeps the chicken from burning on the bottom of the slow cooker insert.

Will the chicken be more tender the longer it is cooked in the pot?

Usually, yes. You can technically cook the chicken for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Either option will suffice…and delicious!

However, if you have a little extra time to work with, I recommend cooking on low for the full 6 hours. A lower, slower cook time results in a more tender and flavorful chicken.

Should Chicken Salad Be Served Hot or Cold?

In this chicken salad, that doesn’t matter! You can serve this pesto chicken salad warm, or you can chill it completely and serve cold out of the freezer like a classic chicken salad.

Either way, it was delicious!

Variety

• Add more protein. Add ground chicken to make your chicken salad extra filling boiled eggs Even chickpeas.
• Add more vegetables. This recipe is already very healthy, but you can add nutrients by adding diced celery, tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, diced cucumbers, shredded carrots, diced mushrooms, and more.
• Make it creamy. Love Creamy Chicken Salad? Try stirring in a spoonful of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.

Edible advice

As you probably already know, there are Ton You can serve classic chicken salad in different ways. This chicken salad recipe is no different!

You can enjoy it in several ways:

• Pile it on sandwiches. Of course, this is the classic way to enjoy chicken salad. If you like it, just spread it on your favorite slice of bread and top with baby spinach and avocado.
• wrap up. Wrap it into your favorite gluten-free tacos or check out our post Make Lettuce Wraps.
• Spread it over salads. Serve it over classic lettuce, spinach or kale.
• Stuff it into avocado or cucumber. Pit an avocado, or scoop out the seeds from a cucumber, and stuff one or the other with some chicken salad. If you are using cucumbers, I recommend traditional cucumbers, which are larger than European or greenhouse cucumbers.
• Scoop it up with chips or crackers. There are many gluten-free brands. You can also use seed crackers or cheese crackers if you prefer a low carb snack.
• Scoop it into your mouth with a spoon. Really that good!

how to store

Leftover Chicken Pesto Salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Can You Freeze Chicken Salad?

Yes! This chicken salad is easy to freeze. Just let it cool completely, then store in a freezer safe container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to eat, simply defrost it completely in the refrigerator first.

Watch the video:

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For the chicken:

• 1-1/2 pound. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 cup chicken soup
• 1 garlic cloves minced
• 1 small onion diced
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper powder

For the spinach pesto:

• 1 cup Basil leaves
• 1-1/2 cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup raw cashews or nuts of your choice
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese Grated (optional)
• 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1/4 cup pine nuts

• Place the chicken in the slow cooker insert. Pour broth over chicken. Add more if the broth doesn’t cover all the chicken. Add garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.

• Remove chicken and dice, or shred with two forks. Let cool slightly.

• Meanwhile make pesto: Add basil, spinach, cashews, Parmesan (if using), olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor or high-speed blender. Process until the pesto is smooth. Add a tablespoon of hot water or olive oil, if desired, for a smooth pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

• Combine diced chicken, pesto, and pine nuts and serve on sandwiches, spread over lettuce, or wrapped.

This recipe was updated with new photos in 2020.

Calories: Chapter 353kcalcarbohydrate: 6Gprotein: 36.6Gfat: 20.2GSaturated fat: 4Gcholesterol: 101mgsodium: Chapter 488mgfiber: 1Gsugar: 1.3G