Chicken Pesto Frittata
Packed with chicken, mozzarella, tomatoes and pesto, this frittata has a definite pizza vibe. You’ll have extra pesto, so use it in pasta dishes, as a sandwich spread, or even as a garnish for creamy soups. The arugula pesto can be made up to three days in advance.
2 cups (500 mL) arugula
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh basil
1/3 cup (80 mL) walnuts
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup (80 mL) grated low-sodium Parmesan cheese
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil or camelina oil
1 Tbsp (15 mL) grapeseed oil
1 lb (450 g) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces
2 shallots, thinly sliced
8 large free-range eggs
1/3 cup (80 mL) milk or unflavoured rice milk
1 cup (250 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup (125 mL) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
To create pesto, pulse together arugula, basil, walnuts, and garlic in food processor or blender until coarsely minced. Pulse in Parmesan and lemon juice. With food processor running, pour olive oil in through feed tube until incorporated.
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Heat grapeseed oil in 10 in (25cm) ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to pan and heat until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in shallots and heat for 2 minutes.
Whisk together eggs, milk, 1/2 cup (125 mL) mozzarella, tomatoes, and 1/3 cup (80 mL) pesto. Carefully pour egg mixture into skillet without displacing pan’s contents. Scatter remaining cheese over top and cook for 3 minutes, without stirring. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until knife inserted into centre leaves a clean cut into eggs and liquid does not fill cut.
Use heatproof spatula to loosen frittata from skillet and slice into wedges to serve.
Serves 6.
Each serving contains: 388 calories; 33 g protein; 26 g total fat (7 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 6 g total carbohydrates (2 g sugars, 1 g fibre); 303 mg sodium
source: "30-Minute Meals", alive #384, October 2014
Chicken Pesto Frittata
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
