Pesto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This recipe is inspired by the Social dimension of wellness.

Social wellness is about relating . It's about attracting and maintaining long-lasting relationships. Further, it involves building healthy, nurturing, and supportive relationships as well as fostering a genuine connection with those around you by taking the time to listen and learn from others.

“Cooking is an art… But, sometimes it’s the key to the soul of your man.” - unknown

While I am semi-retired, I try to plan meals that show my husband how I care for him and appreciate how hard he works. I love searching for new recipes, shopping at local organic markets, and prepping the food such that the kitchen is cleaned up before he comes home. This process really saves time after dinner, so I have more time to sit and relax at the dinner table, enjoy the meal I prepared, and converse about each others day.

Most of us in long-term marriages know that things can get stale after awhile, but it’s important to keep the marriage alive. I believe that food is sensual - that’s why it’s fun to be daring and inventive with your cooking! It's so fun for me to see the pleasure my husband gets from my cooking. I try to make something new at least once a week which brings not only culinary variety but also variety to each new day. The aromas and tastes in creating something new and fresh can seduce your man 😊, and this recipe is by far a crowd pleaser! But, of course, it needs to be appreciated!

Recipe of the Day: Pesto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

INGREDIENTS

• 4 med/large (2 lbs) chicken breasts

• Garlic salt, to taste

• Black pepper, to taste

• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) pesto sauce (We love Costco's pesto!)

• 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (reserve 2 oz for topping)

• 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced into 12 rings

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, (optional)

• Fresh basil leaves, shredded, (optional garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise so you have 8 thin chicken cutlets. Pound each cutlet in a quart-sized ziploc bag or between 2 sheets of plastic wrap so they are approx. 1/8″ thick. Season both sides of your thin cutlets with garlic salt and black pepper.

2. Spoon and spread 1 Tbsp pesto in the center of each cutlet, top with 2 thin slices of tomato, and sprinkle with 2-3 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese. Roll the chicken up as tightly as you can and seal ends with a toothpick.

3. Preheat a large oven-safe skillet over medium/high heat with 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Add chicken roll-ups and sear on both sides until golden (4 min per side for a total of 8 minutes on the stove).

4. Sprinkle chicken with remaining cheese and scatter 1 cup of baby tomatoes over top. Place the oven safe skillet on the center rack of your preheated oven and bake 425˚F for 13-15 minutes (13 minutes for these medium chicken breasts and 15 minutes for larger chicken breasts, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 160˚F on an instant-read thermometer.)

5. To serve, remove toothpicks and plate chicken pesto roll ups spooning pan juices and roasted tomatoes over the top. Garnish with freshly chopped basil.