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Grilled Pesto Chicken and Rutabaga Rice (AIP and Grain-free)

Grilled Pesto Chicken and Rutabaga Rice (AIP and Grain-free)

A flavorful and nourishing AIP-friendly meal featuring grilled herb-marinated chicken topped with dairy-free pesto, served over fluffy rutabaga “rice” for a satisfying grain-free dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting time 5 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 1 Grill or grill pan For grilling chicken
  • 1 Food processor For pesto
  • 1 skillet For cooking rutabaga rice
  • 1 Peeler & grater Or food processor for ricing rutabaga

Ingredients
  

 For marinade:

  • 4 chicken breasts (roughly 8 oz), pounded to even thickness to ensure even cooking
  • 1/2 cup AIP-friendly pesto (use store bought if you can have nuts and/or dairy but check ingredients because might not be dairy-free, AIP-friendly and/or vegan)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

For rutabaga rice:

  • 2 medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into medium cubes
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil, olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 small yellow or white onion, small diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt or more to taste
  • 3 cups chopped kale, swiss chard (or your favorite greens)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • fresh lemon juice for serving
  • additional pesto for serving if desired

Instructions
 

  • In a tupperware container with a lid or in a gallon zip lock bag, add chicken, pesto, lemon juice and salt. Shake around fully coated and let marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  • To make the "rice", pull out a food processor and use the "S" blade (you might be able to use a high-powered blender but I haven't tried this). Add the cubed rutabaga chunks and pulse until it resembles a rice-like size.
  • Preheat your outdoor grill or indoor grill pan (or skillet). Grill the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through depending on thickness (chicken is safely cooked when internal temperature reaches 160 degrees). Tent the chicken with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
  • While chicken is cooking (or while resting after if you don't want to multi-task), heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and rutabaga rice and saute for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add sea salt, kale/chard/greens and broth and stir. Cover with lid or aluminum foil and reduce heat to medium and cook for another 5-8 minutes, checking to see when the rutabaga "rice" is tender.
  • Taste and season rice with salt if needed and/or toss in a drizzle of lemon juice or pesto. Serve with chicken and enjoy!