Pesto Chicken Flatbread
A flatbread with more protein than 2 flatbreads
Flatbread sounds like something that would help you get a flat stomach, right?
Or at the very least, it sounds like something that would be healthier than a pizza.
Maybe it’s not the word that gets you.
Maybe it’s those fancy ingredients that come like sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese.
Maybe it’s the fact that’s it so thin, light, and feels like you’re eating air topped with cheese.
I might be projecting here, but those were some of the rough thoughts I had when I first started getting flatbreads from every café and restaurant I could find them at.
It honestly felt like the healthy option at the time, but here’s the truth I should’ve learned sooner:
Most flatbreads aren’t much healthier than pizza.
They’re still loaded up with cheese, creamy sauces, olive oil, pepperoni, sausage, nuts, and other high calorie ingredients.
That’s not to say the ingredients can’t be healthier, but as a whole package, they’re not exactly optimized to help the scale go down.
The one that will help tilt the scale in your favor is this Pesto Chicken Flatbread.
This beauty features a thin pita topped cottage cheese pesto sauce, pan seared chicken, roasted peppers, balsamic caramelized onions, and fresh arugula.
It gives you everything there is to love about a flatbread. The crispiness, the cheesiness, and lightness that makes it so addictive to eat.
It also gives you a whopping 73g of protein per serving and keeps you full longer after eating it.
9 times out of 10, healthy stuff that tastes this good seems too good to be true, but this flatbread is anything but.
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Here are a few notes regarding the recipes:
Save time on making the flatbread by using leftover or rotisserie chicken.
To roast the peppers faster char them over the flame of your gas stove.
Can’t find thin pita loves? Just use lavash wraps!
Don’t overcook the chicken, especially if you plan to reheat these flatbreads.
Pesto Chicken Flatbread
73G Protein Per Flatbread | 493 Calories | 50-60 Minutes | 4 Servings
Ingredient List
Flatbread Base Ingredients
4 thin pita loaves or lavash wraps
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
2 red bell peppers
1 large onion, sliced
5 oz arugula
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
Cooking spray
Cottage Cheese Pesto Sauce
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (and more as needed)
Cooking Instructions
Preheat the oven broiler. Place peppers on a sheet pan and broil on the top rack for 8-10 minutes, turning to char all sides.
Remove the peppers from the oven and add to a ziploc bag. Let them sit for 5 minutes in the bag to steam. Once the pepper is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and seeds, then roughly chop the peppers. Set aside.
Coat a pan with cooking spray, heat to medium, and cook onions until caramelized. Add 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few more minutes, then remove.
Heat a pan with cooking spray on medium-high, then cook chicken for about 5 minutes per side until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
Blend the ingredients for the cottage cheese pesto sauce until smooth.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread 4 tbsp cottage cheese pesto on each pita, then top with 5 oz chicken, roasted peppers, and caramelized onions. Bake for 10 minutes, remove, and top with arugula. Enjoy!
Thanks for spending some of your Saturday with me! I hope you enjoy the latest recipe and have a great weekend. Until next time!
Eat Well,
Marcus Matkins