This Zucchini Pasta with Chicken and Scallion Avocado Sauce is an easy and healthy dinner everyone will love! Fresh zucchini and summer squash pasta is tossed with chopped grilled chicken and an easy blender scallion sauce that can be enjoyed warm or cold. Paleo and Whole30 friendly and seriously delicious!
I was just saying to Amanda (Running with Spoons) that lately I have energy (or make time, or both) for one “creative” meal per week, and, the rest are just the usual autopilot parade of eggs, bacon, burgers, meatballs. You guys probably know what I’m talking about – you see what I eat!
Anyway, this week I was feeling like I “should” make zucchini pasta. Perhaps just another silly thing to add to the “to-do” list? Maybe. But, then again, it is summer, and zucchini pasta is just way too easy not to make.
I mean, if my handy spiralizer can take on butternut squash and sweet potatoes, summer squash sort of has to happen. The problem I always have, though, is what to do with those noodles after I make them?
This is a ridiculous problem to have, I know. But, since I needed to fulfill my one-creative-meal per week, I wanted it to be good. This one is different that usual, and inspired by a pre-paleo pasta salad I used to make with a scallion vinaigrette.
I really need to start going back in time more often for recipe inspiration. So many delicious things I used to eat that need to be made Paleo!
Now, a little bit about the recipe. It’s an easy one – as in yes, there are a few steps, but, no long cooking times, and, the sauce is made right in a blender or food processor.
In fact, if you spiralize the zucchini and cook the chicken ahead of time (which you can totally do!) this zucchini pasta dish will come together in minutes!
Another cool thing? You can enjoy this meal warm, room temperature or even cold, if you choose. Those are all the options we need for a summer dinner, right? Okay then! Let’s get started 🙂
Zucchini Pasta with Chicken and Scallion Avocado Sauce {Whole30}
Zucchini Pasta with Chicken and Scallion Avocado Sauce {Whole30}
Ingredients
For the Scallion Avocado Sauce:
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions use green part only for low FODMAP
- 2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 and 1/2 tsp coconut aminos
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/3 cup light flavored olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 med avocado
For the Chicken:
- 1 lb organic chicken tenderloins
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
- generous pinch crushed red pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tbsp cooking fat of choice
For the Zucchini Pasta:
- 3 med zucchini or summer squash peeled and spiralized - I used 2 zucchini and one yellow summer squash*
- generous pinch pine grain sea salt
- Extra thinly sliced scallions for garnish
Instructions
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First, spiralize your zucchini and set it aside in a bowl lined with paper towel to absorb excess water. Then, sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt.
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Next, prepare your ingredients for the sauce (but don't make it yet) and cook the chicken:
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Heat a large grill pan (or an actual grill) over med-hi heat and brush generously with cooking fat. Sprinkle the chicken with the sea salt, crushed red pepper and ground mustard, then cook 3-4 minutes per side or until totally cooked through, then remove from pan or grill and set aside.
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Now, prepare the sauce. Add all the sauce ingredients EXCEPT for the avocado to a blender or food processor and process on high speed about 30-45 seconds or until fully combined. Then, cut open the avocado, dice it into small cubes, and stir the diced avocado into the sauce mixture.
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Now that your zucchini noodles have drained, you can soften them by cooking them for 1-2 minutes over medium-hi heat either in the same pan you cooked your chicken or another pan lightly coated with cooking fat. Don't overcook them, as they can get mushy and watery**
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Roughly chop your grilled chicken tenders and stir them into the sauce mixture, then serve tossed with the zucchini pasta.
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Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*This is the spiralizer I used for this recipe.
**If you prefer fresh, uncooked zucchini noodles you can skip this step. At the most, cook them for 2 minutes while stirring to avoid overly mushy noodles.
Nutrition
What I Used to Make My Zucchini Pasta with Scallion Avocado Sauce
So, what’s something you just sort of need to make in the summer?
How often do you go all out and get creative with a meal?
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I like the chicken too much. Now i will make this dish at my home. Thank you so much for share this amazing recipe with us.
I love pasta but Zucchini Pasta name I have listened the first time. Now I will try my home the first time. I am very excited to make this recipe. Thank you so much for the share this post.
Easy to make. Awesome to eat!
Made this last night for my family – so, so good. This will become one of my go-to recipes. Creamy, delicious and satisfying.
Made this tonight for day #29 Whole30 dinner (and day #30 lunch tomorrow) — it was awesome!! Absolutely loved the sauce. Thank you!