This pesto chicken was inspired by the Chicken Piccata Pasta that I shared here on my blog a short while ago and incorporated the full-bodied, velvety sauce that I used in making my Salmon Piccata. I wanted to come up with a chicken dish that was just as simple to make as a piccata, but with a slightly different flavor profile. As much as I now like chicken piccata, it gets old after a while and you want something new. Perhaps, something less tart and more summery, and with more herbal flavor. I immediately thought of using pesto and fresh basil as had both of them left over from making Pasta Alla Genovese the night before. A container of heirloom cherry tomatoes that I had picked up at a local fruit and vegetable market seemed like it would be a great addition too. It was! That’s the summery flavors I was looking for. And the variety of colors were a feast for the eyes.
When you make this dish, I highly recommend making your own pesto. It beats store-bought pesto hands down. No exceptions! If you have a food processor, it will take you the whole 2-3 minutes to whip it up. If you don’t, use a stand blender or an immersion blender. Or just chop the basil by hand, with a knife, slowly incorporating pine nuts and oil while keeping chopping. Even if made by hand, it won’t take longer than about 10 minutes, and you will be rewarded handsomely. To make homemade pesto, combine
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves 1 large garlic clove 2 Tbsp pine nuts 5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 4 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
and pulse in a food processor for a few seconds. Scrape from the walls and pulse again. Repeat several times until well processed. Transfer the pesto into a container and refrigerate before using. This recipe will make about 3/4 cup of pesto. Homemade pesto will keep in a fridge for up to 3 days, or it can be frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
