Pesto burps. They never seem to come at the right times. Like during a workout. Not my favorite thing.
I’m into Michael Jackson right now. And Glee versions of Michael Jackson.
So yesterday, I was having a real off day. Probably because I’m pmsing. Ew, TMI. Anywho, I was an emotional mess. I cooked 4 different meals and enjoyed absolutely none of it. You know how people say food is always delicious when it’s cooked with love? Well none of mine had love behind it. The food still tasted good, but with a hint of anger added to it. I’m not really an angry person, but I definitely get a crease between my eyes when I’m upset about something. Maybe it was just because I was up at 4am that day. That’s probably it. It has nothing to do with the fact I’m constantly thinking about chocolate, feeling fat, and breaking out.
Being a woman is the devil sometimes. Hate me for that statement, do it.
And yesterday I kept trying to pull myself out of self hatred. Which was much easier when Sergio came over. Just because he makes my self hatred humorous somehow. Well we decided to run around the park which was probably another poor idea since my run would be ran with no happiness behind it. And that was shown to be especially true since he is MUCH faster than me. Even though he’s shorter, those little legs can move. By the time we ended, I was practically pleading for air while Sergio briskly walked like he hadn’t just run 2.5 miles. My self hatred just morphed to humiliation.
I finally grew up and got over it. Self hatred and frustration really lead to nowhere. So I danced to Glee songs, worked out at the gym, then had froyo to ultra-spike my endorphins. Please do not tell me that this is not paleo, I understand this. But pistachio and chocolate milkshake frozen yogurt just HAVE to eaten sometimes. Especially when it’s with a special guy.
And to make something perfectly clear, Sergio is not my special guy. He’s not my boyfriend. But he is single and would certainly be interested in making friends with someone of the opposite sex. Just saying. And yes, yes I am whoring my best friend out over the internet. I’m a bad person….kind of.
Artichoke Lemon Pesto Chicken Pasta
- Yield: 4-5 1x
Ingredients
- 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed (or chicken thighs if you prefer)
- 1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise (get a BIG one)
- 12–15 artichoke hearts, cut in half (I used jarred artichokes that were in olive oil for more flavor)
- 1/3 cup walnuts
- 4–5 tablespoons olive oil
- 4–5 tablespoons vegetable broth
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3–5 cups of spinach (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 405 degrees (not 450, stop questioning me)
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise, place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until squash gives when you poke the outside of it.
- Use a spoon to remove the excess seeds then a fork to thread the strings from the squash. To make spaghetti, duh.
- But while the squash is baking, make the pesto and chicken.
- Place a large pan over medium-high heat, add a splash of fat and 1 minced garlic clove. As soon as the garlic becomes fragrant, add the halved artichokes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let cook until slightly browned and tender on all sides.
- Once artichokes are browned, add them to a food processor along with the walnuts, olive oil, vegetable broth, and second garlic clove. Puree until smooth.
- Then add the parsley, basil, lemon, and salt and pepper. Puree once more until smooth. Taste and add more lemon and salt and pepper to your preference.
- Once pesto is done pureeing, add the chicken to the same pan that you sautéed the artichokes in.
- Cook chicken over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Once chicken is cooked through, add in about 1/4 of a cup of the pesto to the chicken along with the spinach, in the pan and mix well to coat. Cover and let cook for 2-4 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
- Then add the threads of spaghetti squash to the pan (or a large mixing bowl if you need more room). Mix spaghetti squash, pesto, and chicken all together.
- Serve with some fresh basil on top.
- Love pesto in a new way!
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You May Also Like:
Spring Vegetable Lemon Basil Pasta
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This looks awesome!! Thank you so much for sharing your amazing recipes and your funny stories!! You are a bad ass!! Thanks for the inspiration! =)
Question for Juli/anyone who has made this: Does it have a strong lemon flavor? I’ve noticed just about any recipe I’ve made that calls for lemon, no matter how many other seasoning I put in it, lemon is all I can taste and it kind of turns me off to the food 🙁 This looks/sounds sooo good though so I would love to try it.
no, it doesn’t have a strang lemon flavor at all
Thank you! I made this tonight and it was AMAZING! Yum!!
I have been reading your site for a while now and I love it. One thing I have to mention, though, have you tried Kiehls products for your skin? I used to have such problem skin as an adult, all hormone related, and once I switched to exclusively Kiehls it has totally cleared up. It was miraculous. Just a suggestion, and keep up the good work!
i printed this right away, it looks great! Question though – any tips on cutting a spaghetti squash in half? I almost chopped off hand trying to cut one a couple of weeks ago. The PITA of cutting one makes me shy away from it in the future. Any tips are much appreciated!
Heather, I still have the same problem. But a few tips that work for me are making sure I have a REALLY good knife, and I sometimes stick it in the microwave for a few minutes to soften. Just let it cool a few minutes and make the first cute very carefully or it kinda shoots hot air out. But it does help a little bit…
You can cook the squash whole and not cut it beforehand – it just takes longer.
Do you cook it whole in the microwave? Do you pierce it at all? I’ve always been afraid that it would explode!
I don’t know if you’ll see this from a week ago, but you can definitely pierce your squash like you would a potato and toss the whole thing in the microwave. I do it for about 5-6 minutes – it makes it much easier to cut and keeps your fingers intact. Then, finish cooking in the oven.
Hi Julie,
Love your blog! Going to make this over the weekend. Can’t wait!
I actually just made this for dinner to night….it was OMG amazing. And I gave you props on my blog. Im so glad I found your blog a few weeks ago and I have several other recipes I want to make. Thanks!
Just made this recipe for dinner and folks here were licking their plates. It’s always a good sign when people go in for 2nd. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
currently trying to wait for my chicken to cook so i don’t eat all of this pesto just with a spoon. another great success – this sh*t is delicious. well played, Juli.
It was DELICIOUS!!! I will definitely make this again! First time I had ever had spaghetti squash, and I’m in love 🙂 I didn’t have any basil but I will definitely add it for next time!
You always entertain me with your posts! I’m so pumped to try this recipe. I love artichoke & pesto so you have given me inspiration for the week. Can’t wait to try it!