Pesto and Mozzarella Smothered Chicken is another ridiculously easy way to turn boneless, skinless chicken breast into a delicious dish perfect for wowing dinner guests, yet quick and cheap enough for any weeknight supper. If you’re not sure what pesto is, Wikipedia has a good explanation of its origin. But basically, its ground garlic, basil, and pine nuts whisked together with olive oil. It’s fantastic on pasta, but also delicious paired with other savory foods such as sun-dried tomatoes. Delish!

In this dish, I’ve topped it with sliced tomatoes. Lay the sliced on several layers of paper towels first to drain. We don’t want to dilute the pesto with juicy tomatoes.

To speed preparation for a dinner party, trim the fat and butterfly or completely split the breasts the day before. Leaving chicken breasts whole usually results in a thick, dry piece of meat. Each serving would be two pieces, but sometimes one is plenty which cuts your calories and fat in half.

Pesto and Mozzarella Smothered Chicken

• 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
• 1 jar pesto
• 2 tomatoes, sliced thin
• Salt & pepper
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Trim the fat from the chicken breasts and butterfly, cutting all the way through to make 2 fillets out of each.

Lightly spray a large jellyroll pan with cooking spray. Lightly salt and pepper each side of chicken and place on pan. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of pesto on top of each breast fillet. Top with 2-3 slices of tomato. Very lightly salt tomatoes.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with 1/4 cup cheese on each piece of chicken. Return to oven and continue baking for another 12-15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through, no longer pink in center, juices run clear, and internal temp reaches 165°F.

If cheese isn’t nicely browned, place under broiler for a minute.

(Pictured on the side is The Best Potato Casserole…ever! 😊 )

Another tasty pesto treat is this Easy Pesto Bruschetta Crostini. If you’re a fan of pesto, you won’t be disappointed with this simple, yet delicious, appetizer!

Happy eating! 😊