I chose the pesto chicken and vegetables recipe because it allows you to get your daily amount of vegetables through an actual dinner meal. The DRI for vegetables is 2-3 servings per day. I feel like oftentimes when I go about trying to eat my veggies daily, I eat cucumbers or carrots as a snack with ranch. This recipe allows vegetables to be implemented into an actual meal. This recipe provides a good way to implement vegetables without going out of your way. The recipe also tasted very good and the pesto added a great flavor to the vegetables and chicken.
Ingredient | Amount | Unit Cost of Ingredient | Recipe Cost of Ingredient |
Red Bell Pepper | One each | $1.38/each | $1.38 |
Zucchini | One each | $0.60/each | $0.60 |
Yellow squash | One each | $0.50/each | $0.50 |
Red onion | 1/2 red onion | $0.38/each | $0.19 |
Chicken | 1.3 lbs breast | $6.99/2 lbs | $4.54 |
Frozen green beans | 1 cup | $1.34/12 oz | $0.90 |
Pesto | 1/3 cup | $2.84/6.5 oz | $1.31 |
Parmesan cheese | 1 Tbsp | $2.79/5 oz | $0.28 |
Cooking oil | 2 Tbsp | $2.98/48 oz | $0.06 |
Salt | 1/8 tsp | $0.48/26 oz | $0.01 |
Pepper | 1/8 tsp | $3.19/6 oz | $0.20 |
Total Recipe Cost | $9.79 | ||
Cost per serving (4 servings) | $2.45 |
In order to make this recipe more budget friendly you could use cheaper vegetables that would fit well into the stir fry mix. You could also ask to use someone else’s salt, pepper, and cooking oil or just use the ingredients that you already have at home. In order to make this recipe more budget friendly you could also grow the vegetables yourself or buy the vegetables that are currently in season. If needed, you could also use canned chicken breast where it is cheaper.
The Snac Pantry supplies canned corn, canned green beans, canned diced tomatoes, and fresh celery sticks all which could be implemented into this recipe in place of other vegetables.
With some vegetables being more in season than not, I chose to use different vegetables than the recipe called for. I added mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, carrots, and celery to my veggie mix. This is a typical stir fry mix. All the vegetables tasted very good with the pesto sauce. I especially recommend adding mushrooms into your dish as they absorb the sauce very well.
Overall, I loved this dish and I would cook it again! It also stores and reheats very well! I had leftovers and ate them the next day and they tasted just as good as freshly cooked! This recipe gave me my daily vegetables and gave me a good way to incorporate vegetables into a meal rather than just a snack occasionally.
This recipe is a quick and easy way to add in delicious cooked veggies and protein into a meal. The pesto sauce with parmesan cheese adds a bright and herbaceous flavor.