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Prep
Salt the zucchini noodles in a colander with a generous pinch of salt and let them sit 10–15 minutes to draw out moisture. Give them a gentle squeeze or pat dry before cooking — this keeps them from weeping into the pesto and thinning it out.
If you have time, quick-brine the chicken: dissolve 1 tablespoon salt in a few cups of water, submerge the breasts for 20–30 minutes, then pat dry and season with pepper. Skip salt since the brine handles it. Otherwise just season with salt and pepper.
Roasted Tomatoes
Toss the halved tomatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread cut-side up on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Roast at 400°F until they soften, shrivel slightly, and get jammy — about 20–25 minutes. Cut-side up lets their juices concentrate rather than bleed out.
Air-Fried Chicken
Cook the chicken in a Ninja Foodi on air fry at 375°F, flipping once halfway through, until golden on the outside and cooked through — about 12–15 minutes depending on thickness. If the breasts are quite thick, pound them to even thickness first so they cook evenly.
Rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing — that's where the juice stays in the meat instead of on the board.
Zucchini Noodles
Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the drained zucchini noodles and cook, stirring, until just tender — about 1–2 minutes. Don't overcook; they'll soften more when tossed.
Squeeze a little lemon juice over the zucchini in the pan.
Assemble
Toss the zucchini noodles, roasted tomatoes, and sliced chicken with the pesto. Hold back a spoonful of pesto and add to taste — you may not need all of it.
Finish with a squeeze of lemon over the top and a crack of black pepper.