Baked Chicken Pesto

I recently took a metabolic biochemistry course on nutrition, and there’s this study on the trade off between certain strains of the same vegetable. Basically, my professor told us that the amount of nutrients/antioxidants per 100 grams of vegetable goes up 8 fold if you chose to eat spinach over iceberg lettuce, however, I HATE SPINACH. I have never liked it all that much, so I decided to start hiding it inside chunks of romaine lettuce and other vegetables in the form of a salad. 

Now, most people know how to put together a salad they way they like it, so I won’t get into all that, but one of the most important things that masks the flavor of spinach or kale, or whatever raw leafy green I decide to trick myself into eating, is the meat or protein I decide to use.

My dressing of choice is balsamic vinegar, so I tend to move toward spices that have potential to go with it, but here is one of my favorite ways to prep my chicken! You do not have to limit yourself to pesto. This recipe also works with your favorite salsa, barbecue sauce and more!

You will need:

• A Cookie Sheet
• Olive Oil 
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, defrosted
• Fresh Garlic (2 large)
• Garlic Powder (I like McCormick Roasted Garlic Powder)
• Freshly Ground Pepper
• Rock Salt 
• Pesto (my favorite is Classico brand)

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2. Lightly Coat your Cookie Sheet in Olive Oil

3. Chicken Prep

• Slice each of your chicken breasts into two even cutlets. Here’s a video on how to slice your chicken breasts into cutlets just in case you are new to this term!
• Place each evenly spread on your cookie sheet
• Mince your garlic, then distribute evenly among the 4 cutlets. 
• Add about a tsp of garlic powder, as well as a tsp of pepper to each cutlet. 
• Salt: I don’t personally add salt, but a lot of people like the flavor enhancement, so add to your usual taste!
• Flip over and repeat
• Add your pesto to each cutlet! Be as generous as you want, the more you add, the moister your chicken will be.
• Fill free to add veggies before baking too!

4. Place in the over for 25-30 minutes 

Tip: Always check to see if your chicken is done backing by sticking a fork in the middle and searching for rawness. Some ovens are weaker than others, so be very careful. Ingesting raw chicken can be deadly.

                 

Enjoy!

-Soli