Creamy Avocado Basil Zucchini Pasta with Grilled Chicken



 My mom is visiting and I decided to try out a new recipe with her last night.  It turned out even better than expected and is definitely going to be a new favourite!  I have been wanting to try using avocado as a healthy substitute cream sauce for pasta for a while now.  It gave the dish a creamy, rich flavour of comfort food and was very filling.  Vegetarians could have the pasta without the grilled chicken or with some smoked or grilled tofu.  As well as providing the healthy kind of fat that your body needs Avocados are packed with vitamins and minerals!

Creamy Avocado Basil  Zucchini Pasta with Grilled Chicken (4 servings)

Sauce:
2 small avocados (or 1 large)
1 lemon
1 garlic clove
1 TBSP olive oil
fresh basil leaves (handful)
salt and pepper to taste

Chicken:
Italian spices
salt and pepper
1 tsp olive oil (optional)
lemon (optional)

Zucchini Pasta:
3 zucchinis
1 garlic clove
1 TBSP olive oil

Step#1
Combine avocado, lemon, olive oil, garlic, fresh basil leaves and salt and pepper in a small food processor until smooth

 To check if Avocados are ripe, gently squeeze (they shoud be soft but not hollow feeling). You want them to be ripe so the sauce has a creamy texture.  If they are too hard they will not blend and will have a slightly bitter taste. 

Step #2
Use veggie spiral machine to make zucchini noodles.  Set aside until chicken is ready for the grill.

 Helpful hints: Try and find straight zucchinis. Start spiralling in the centre of the zucchini and cut noodles every so often or else they will get too long (lady of the tramp style). 

Step #3
Season  chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.  Start BBQ and grill until cooked (wrap in tinfoil until zucchini pasta is ready if timing is off :)

Step #4
Heat olive oil on medium/high heat and add garlic (heat pan after the chicken goes on the grill).  After a minute add zucchini noodles for approx. 5 minutes  I like to use bear claw salad servers to toss zucchinis noodles to flash fry them.  I like to heat mine for approximately 5-7 minutes until lightly cooked. 

Step#5
Turn off the pan that is cooking the zucchini and add avocado sauce to noodles. Stir until smoothly blended in and then transfer to a serving bowl or plates.

Step #6
Serve noodles.  Slice chicken and put on top of noodles.  Garnish with fresh basil and grated Parmesan

 Fresh grated Parmesan for garnish

 Creamy and Delicious!