Tuscan White Bean Chicken Pesto Salad
By Better Plate RecipesCannellini beans soak up a pesto dressing thinned with Greek yogurt so it coats everything without the oil slick of straight pesto. Grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, roasted red pepper, arugula, and shaved Parmesan finish it, and a squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it from tasting rich.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Pesto and white beans is a classic Italian pairing, and cutting the pesto with Greek yogurt is what makes it work in a salad: you get all the basil, garlic, and pine nut flavor with a dressing that actually clings to the beans instead of sliding off in an oil slick. Grilled chicken keeps it at 38 grams of protein, cherry tomatoes and roasted red peppers add sweetness, arugula adds pepper, and shaved Parmesan and toasted pine nuts finish it. Lemon juice in the dressing stops the whole thing from tasting rich. It looks like something from a good deli counter and takes thirty minutes start to finish.
What Makes This Recipe Work
Straight pesto is mostly oil, which is why pesto salads so often end up greasy at the bottom of the bowl. Whisking it with nonfat Greek yogurt and lemon juice gives the dressing body and acidity, so it coats rather than pools and adds protein while it does. The cannellini beans then marinate in a third of that dressing for ten minutes, absorbing basil and garlic before the rest of the ingredients arrive. Slicing the chicken across the grain after a five-minute rest keeps each strip tender, and the pine nuts add a final buttery crunch.
Before You Start
Buy a refrigerated pesto if you can, since it tastes far greener than shelf-stable jars. Slice thick chicken breasts in half horizontally so they cook evenly, and get the grill pan hot before they go down. Toast the pine nuts before the chicken and watch them constantly; they burn in about twenty seconds once they color. Rinse the cannellini beans gently so they stay whole.
Ingredient Notes & Easy Swaps
Basil pesto: Refrigerated pesto tastes far greener than shelf-stable jars. It is mostly oil, which is why it is whisked with yogurt rather than used straight.
Greek yogurt: Half a cup gives the pesto body so it clings to the beans instead of sliding off, and it adds protein rather than more fat.
Cannellini beans: Marinated in a third of the pesto dressing for ten minutes so they taste seasoned inside, not just coated. Rinse gently so they stay whole.
Chicken breasts: Sliced in half horizontally if thick, grilled to 165°F, rested five minutes, then cut across the grain so each strip stays tender.
Roasted red peppers: Jarred peppers add sweetness and a soft texture against the crisp arugula. Drain and pat them dry before slicing.
Pine nuts: Toast them in a dry skillet and watch constantly, since they go from gold to burnt in about twenty seconds. Slivered almonds are a cheaper substitute.
Baby arugula: Its pepper is what keeps a pesto-and-Parmesan bowl from tasting one-note rich. Add it just before serving.
Parmesan: Shaved with a peeler for distinct salty bites. Use a vegetarian hard cheese if you need the recipe to be strictly vegetarian.
Tuscan White Bean Chicken Pesto Salad
Description
Cannellini beans soak up a pesto dressing thinned with Greek yogurt so it coats everything without the oil slick of straight pesto. Grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, roasted red pepper, arugula, and shaved Parmesan finish it, and a squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it from tasting rich.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water, to thin
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
- 1/3 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- 1Equipment: a grill pan or 12-inch cast-iron skillet, a small dry skillet, a cutting board and chef's knife, a large mixing bowl, a medium bowl and whisk, a vegetable peeler, tongs, and an instant-read thermometer.
- 2Pat the 1 lb chicken breasts dry and slice any piece thicker than 3/4 inch in half horizontally so they cook evenly. Rub with the 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper.
- 3Heat the grill pan over medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes until it is hot enough that the oil moves easily around the pan. Cook the chicken undisturbed 5 to 6 minutes per side, until deeply marked and 165°F at the thickest point. Rest 5 minutes on a board, then slice across the grain into 1/2-inch strips.
- 4While the chicken cooks, toast the 2 tablespoons pine nuts in the small dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking constantly, until pale gold and they smell nutty. They burn quickly, so tip them out at once.
- 5Whisk the dressing in the medium bowl: 1/3 cup pesto, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the 1 tablespoon water and whisk until it is a smooth, pale-green sauce that drips slowly from the whisk.
- 6Drain and rinse the cannellini beans gently and add them to the large mixing bowl. Gently stir in about half the pesto dressing and let them sit 10 minutes so the basil and garlic soak in.
- 7Add the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced roasted red peppers, and red onion to the beans and gently stir once or twice, keeping the beans intact.
- 8Add the 4 cups baby arugula and the remaining dressing, then toss lightly so the leaves are just coated and still standing tall in the bowl.
- 9Divide among four plates, lay the sliced chicken over the top, and finish with the shaved Parmesan, chopped basil, and toasted pine nuts. Serve while the chicken is warm.
Tips and Tricks
- 1
Cut the Pesto With Yogurt: Straight pesto is mostly oil and slides off the beans. Yogurt gives it body so it clings and adds protein.
- 2
Watch the Pine Nuts: They go from gold to burnt in about 20 seconds. Keep shaking the pan and pull them early.
- 3
Let the Beans Marinate: Ten minutes in the pesto dressing is the difference between flavored beans and beans wearing sauce.
- 4
Slice Chicken Across the Grain: Cutting against the muscle fibers keeps each strip tender rather than stringy.
Nutrition
Serving size: 1 of 4 plates
Calories: 545kcal, Protein: 38g, Carbs: 30g, Fat: 29g, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 7g, Sodium: 902mg.
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredient brands, product sizes, preparation methods, and substitutions. It is not intended as medical or dietary advice.
Recipe Guides
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