Cilantro, Walnut & Jalapeno Pesto

Pin It

I love condiments!  They take up an embarrassing amount of space in my refrigerator and pantry.  It's a sickness really.  But there are just so many to choose from, from so many cultures and with so many different flavors and colors!  A good condiment can transform the most pedestrian, boring chicken breast, naked vegetable or sandwich into a sublime experience.  One of the most versatile condiments in my opinion is pesto.  Of course you can't go wrong with the classic basil pesto, but for something different, this cilantro pesto is a fun alternative and can be used in an endless variety of ways.  You can use it on pasta of course, as a pizza topping, mix into rice and throw in a can of beans for a quick side dish,  stir into hummus, use as a condiment on sandwiches, burgers or in tacos, burritos, etc. etc...  One of my favorite ways to use this pesto is to mix it with some roughly chopped cooked chicken breast for a quick and easy chicken salad.  From there you can add other things like black beans and corn but it's also delicious on it's own.  For a pretty appetizer or lunch dish, you can wash and slice mini sweet peppers in half and stuff them with a tablespoon of the chicken salad as I've done here.  The sweet crunchiness of the peppers is the perfect complement to the savory chicken salad.  Simple, light, and delicious!

Ingredients:

 

1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup walnuts

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 Tbl lime juice

1/2 cup of your preferred oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until combined.  Don't mix too long so you don't end up with a puree, you want a little bit of texture from the nuts so you get that slightly grainy consistency typical of pesto. Add more oil to thin it out if necessary.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

That's it people--doesn't get much easier than this! 

Try making this chicken salad--it's so quick to make and is unbelievably tasty!  A perfect low carb appetizer or lunch in these pepper cups or served with arugula or baby spinach.  Or rolled into a wrap with some slices of avocado...Yum!