Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves - (tightly packed)
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts finely chopped
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated romano cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (abt 6 to 7 oz ea)
- Olive oil as needed
- Salt to taste
- Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Make it step by step
- For the Pesto: In a food processor or blender, put the garlic, salt, basil, pine nuts, and olive oil and process until smooth. Add the cheeses and the butter and process very briefly, just to incorporate them. If the sauce is a little thick, add a little water a tablespoon at a time and process for 1 to 2 seconds. Sauce should be thick, but spreadable.
- Lay the chicken breasts out on a cutting board or other work surface. Using a sharp knife, slice the breasts longitudinally, but do not cut all the way through them - you want to make a kind of pocket in them.
- Place several teaspoons of the pesto sauce into the chicken "pocket", and make sure it is spread across the entire interior surface. Fold the top half back over the pesto. Rub the outer surface of the breasts with the olive oil, then season to taste with the salt and pepper.
- Place the breasts on a pre-heated BBQ grill and cook until done. If you'd like, you can spread a little of the pesto on the outside of the breasts a minute or two before they are done, just to form a slight crust on the outside. Serve with extra pesto on the side.
- This recipe yields 2 servings.
Nutrition and portions
Nutrition estimates and Zone blocks are not available for this recipe.
Ingredient substitutions and portion changes need a new calculation.
Recipe source
Adapted from Foodista by Anonymous, under CC BY 3.0. Formatting adapted; listed quantities and instructions are retained from the source.
Cook times in the method are source guidance, not a record of testing in our kitchen. Check food temperatures and ingredient labels when cooking.