Now that the kids are back to school, that means we have several busy nights a week. Even our non-activity nights are busy with homework as the kids are getting older! This recipe is great for those nights when you don’t have time to plan ahead with the slow cooker, but need to get dinner on the table quickly, which seems to be most of our nights. The key to this being quick is to buy thin cut chicken breasts, they cook in less than 10 minutes!
For pesto, you can go to your freezer for Homemade Pesto, or just grab a jar at the store. I prefer the refrigerated kind from Sam’s Club, rather than the jarred stuff by the the spaghetti sauce on the pasta aisle. My kids really like pesto, but if yours don’t, just leave it off and add the cheese. I served this chicken with some steamed asparagus and roasted potatoes (also with pesto).
Basil Pesto Chicken
serves 4
4 thin cut chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup pesto, more or less to taste
4 slices provolone cheese
Heat large skillet over high heat and add olive oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken over high until browned on one side (about 3-4 minutes). Flip the chicken and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until it’s cooked all the way through. Remove from heat. Add about 2 teaspoons of pesto to the top of each chicken breast (more or less to taste) and top with a slice of cheese. Place chicken under the broiler for about one minute until cheese is melted.
