AIP Friendly Skillet Chicken with Herb Pesto and Zucchini
Crispy-skinned chicken thighs, golden zucchini, and a bright herb pesto — this skillet dinner is the kind of meal that feels indulgent while checking every box for an elimination-style protocol. The chicken is rubbed with turmeric and ginger before getting a deep sear, so the skin turns genuinely crackling and the meat stays juicy through a quick oven finish. What makes this one stand out is the pesto: instead of the usual cheese and pine nuts, it's built from fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and coconut aminos blended with good olive oil — all ingredients that fit neatly within AIP guidelines without any substitution gymnastics. Coconut aminos add just enough savory depth to make the sauce taste complex, not stripped-down. Everything comes together in a single oven-safe skillet, so the zucchini soaks up the rendered chicken fat before the whole pan goes into the oven — simple technique, serious flavor. Serves 4, and the leftover pesto is worth saving for tomorrow.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the chicken
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lb total)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb total), cut into ½-inch half-moons
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, for serving (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine 3/4 tsp of the salt, the turmeric, and the ginger, then rub the mixture evenly over both sides of each thigh.
- 2
Make the pesto: combine the basil, parsley, garlic, coconut aminos, lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor. Pulse 6–8 times until roughly chopped. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil until the pesto is cohesive but still has some texture — not completely smooth. Set aside.
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