UPDATE 6/27/2017: This one of the most popular recipes on Foraged Dish, but for a long time I've felt that the images just didn't do it justice! I have updated several of the images below, but it's still the same recipe.

Yup, I've been on an aggressive pesto kick lately. A bit out of season, but still delicious! For breakfast, lunch, and now dinner, pesto has been on everything in this house over the last few weeks.

I managed to transfer this summer's basil plant to a pot when the weather started to turn, along with some thyme and some rosemary. The basil, which I was sure would last only a short while, thrived. We even moved the plant to our new place!

And then... ugh, then my basil plant's days came to an end. It was an easy mistake -- I just grabbed the wrong spray bottle (we have two white spray bottles, one filled with water and the other filled vinegar). And that's the end of the story: I grabbed the wrong bottle, doused my basil plant in vinegar, and two days later found it had transformed into a basil graveyard. Shriveled. Black. Droopy.

I guess this pesto kick is like a mourning for my poor little plant. But, I guess this is exactly what's so good about plants: once the days are warm again, the light bright, I'll grow a new one, and the pesto days will be back! Until then, it's store-bought basil for me.

Paleo Creamy Basil & Tomato Chicken

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free | Caitlin Sherwood | Print This Recipe

Seared chicken is smothered in a creamy pesto sauce and served with warm cherry tomatoes.

Serves: 4 | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1/2 yellow onion
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder
1/3 cup cold water
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
1 batch nut-free dairy-free pesto, recipe below (or use your favorite pesto, store bought or homemade)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Nut-Free Dairy-Free Pesto:

3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
Salt & Pepper
1 package fresh basil (2/3 oz)
1 tablespoon avocado oil

Directions:

Prepare the pesto: place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the garlic is finely minced. Add the sunflower seeds and pulse serval times. Add the nutrition yeast, a sprinkle of salt, and a dash of pepper to the food processor. Finally, add the basil and avocado oil. Pulse until the basil is well minced. Set pesto aside while you prepate the rest of the dish.
Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it sizzles. Slice the onion into strips while the oil heats, and then add it to the pan. Cook until translucent.
Once the onion is translucent, add the chicken to the pan. Cook for 12 minutes, then flip over and cook for 13 more minutes. (To get the best sear, avoid moving it around too much between flips). Chicken should be cooked through. If it is not, continue to cook until chicken has no pink in the middle and juices run clear.
In a small bowl, whisk the arrowroot powder into the water. Add the coconut milk, and then whisk in the pesto. Pour the sauce into the skillet with the chicken. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Add the sliced cherry tomatoes. Allow to simmer for 1-2 more minutes, until tomatoes are warmed, and serve.
Optional: serve over zoodles or spiralized sweet potatoes.