Seared Chicken with Creamy Pesto Sauce
with Smashed Carrots & Roasted Zucchini
Need a dinner win? This one’s bound to be a smash hit, thanks to seared chicken, creamy pesto, and (literal) smashed carrots. Never mashed a carrot before? Basically it’s just like mashing potatoes—but the result is a bit lighter in the carb department (and a whole lot more orange). Paired with a side of roasted zucchini, the veggies harmonize with herby seared chicken and a velvety pesto sauce for a mealtime medley that’s sure to be a total dinner triumph.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
Ingredients
15 ounce
Carrots
1 teaspoon
Garlic Powder
1 tablespoon
Tuscan Heat Spice
2 tablespoon
Crème Fraîche
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Zucchini
1 clove
Garlic
10 ounce
Chicken Cutlets
2 tablespoon
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Chicken Stock Concentrate
4 tablespoon
Pesto
(Contains: Milk)
Not included in your delivery
1 tablespoon
Cooking Oil
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
Salt
Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry produce. • Trim, peel, and dice carrots into 1⁄2-inch pieces. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; slice crosswise into 1⁄2-inch-thick half-moons. Peel and mince or grate garlic. • Place carrots in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until very soft, 15-20 minutes. Drain and return carrots to pot. Keep covered off heat until ready to mash.
• Toss zucchini on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. • Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 14-16 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pat chicken* dry with paper towels; season all over with 1 tsp Tuscan Heat Spice (2 tsp for 4 servings), salt, and pepper. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. TIP: If your chicken is on the thicker side, flip and reduce heat to medium. Cook on second side, covered, 5-7 minutes. • Turn off heat; transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Wipe out pan.
• Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. • Add 1⁄3 cup water (1⁄2 cup for 4 servings), stock concentrate, and cream cheese. Cook, whisking constantly, until combined and thickened, 2-3 minutes. • Remove pan from heat. Whisk in pesto until combined. (If the sauce seems broken, just keep whisking—it will come together!) Season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Add crème fraîche, garlic powder, 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings), and 1⁄2 tsp Tuscan Heat Spice (1 tsp for 4) to pot with carrots. Mash with a potato masher or fork to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Slice chicken crosswise. • Divide chicken, smashed carrots, and zucchini between plates. Spoon sauce over chicken and zucchini and serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the creamy pesto sauce, though some found it too salty or strong; the Tuscan spice blend received mixed reviews.
- Ease of prep: Several noted the carrots took longer to cook and mash than expected; some found the overall prep time-consuming.
- Suggestions: Consider roasting carrots instead of mashing; try adding less pesto to the sauce for a milder flavor.
- Portions: Some felt the zucchini portion was too small; a few mentioned the chicken pieces were inconsistent in size.
- Texture: The mashed carrots had mixed reception; some loved them, while others found them watery or difficult to mash smoothly.
