Pesto Presto Chicken

I got this recipe from Rachael Ray. I really don't understand how she makes a lot of her recipes in 30 minutes. I suppose if you start the time after you have out every single item you may need during the cooking process. But who does that. I get things out as I use them. I consider the time it takes me to find ingredients part of the cooking process. Even so I still think a lot of the recipes are hard to make in 30 minutes.

This one took about an hour from start to finish because you have to pound out the chicken. Make the pesto. Prep the chicken with the pesto, cut the tomato, then bake the chicken. Regardless of the time the recipe is really good. I changed up a couple things in the recipe. The recipe originally called for using Boursin garlic and herb cheese. I already had some Laughing Cow Sun-Dried Tomato and Herb Cheese so I used that instead. Also the pesto didn't seem to want to mix very well so Phil added some olive oil to it and that helped   to smooth it out.

I am on a roll lately with finding good chicken recipes!


Pesto Presto Chicken
Adapted from Rachael Ray

3 tablespoons pine nuts
1/2 cup spinach leaves
1/4 cup parsley leaves
5 wedges Laughing Cow Sun-Dried Tomato and Herb Cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper
8 slices tomato
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a small pan over medium heat, toast pine nuts, then set aside to cool.

In a food processor mix spinach, pine nuts, cheese wedges, parsley, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese until well combined.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.

Spread cheese mixture on chicken breasts. Fold chicken breasts over like a book, to enclose cheese mixture.

Place chicken on a nonstick baking sheet.

Top each chicken breast with 2 tomato slices. Drizzle each chicken breast with olive oil and top with leftover parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes.

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