Pesto Chicken Breasts with Summer Squash

Page 49.

I cooked this one last week, 06/04. Going back to the apple fritter post, again, I am the "chef" of the family, so leave it to me to pick the cooking for beginners recipe. *insert head shake here.*

I picked this one because Jamie likes pesto. I figured, "well, chicken and pesto, that's a winner, can't really go wrong here! And there's cheese on it as well! Psh, good times!!"

I won't do this for every post, but I really think I should list all the ingredients to this one. All of them... keep that in mind. Chicken breasts, pesto (they suggest store bought), chopped zucchini and/or summer squash, and asiago or Parmesan cheese. Yeah, that's all. Notice anything missing? I did, but thought "they obviously know what they're doing!

So, instead of using store bought pesto, I decided to make it myself. I mean, it's not hard. I have a basil plant on the balcony, we have all the ingredients in the house, and Jamie just busted out the Magic Bullet! Pesto was a success.

So, I followed their directions... Have you ever sauteed chicken and it only taken four minutes per side? I don't know that I ever timed it before, but yeah, if I had done that this time, I'm pretty sure I would be posting this from the hospital dealing with the salmonella poisoning, telling you to never EVER try this... for THAT reason. It recommends four minutes, then turn the chicken, placing your chopped veggies, zucchini julienned on my mandolin (I LOVE that thing!) in this case, and cook for another four minutes. Yeah, needless to say the cooking time was increased sllliiiiggghhhtttllyyy.

Anyway, after that, you take out the chicken and slather on some of your pesto, then top it with your cheese. And that's it! Serve that bad boy up, and everyone enjoy! Right? I mean, if you can get past the subtle green theme to your meal that is....





Did you notice a lack of salt? Pepper? Any other type or seasonings? Yeah. I actually re-read the recipe about four times, just looking to see where they threw that in and I missed it. Nope. Not there. Granted, pesto has some flavor to it... but not enough for a chicken breast let me tell you. Jamie and I both said the same thing... that is some GOOD zucchini! And the rest of the chicken breasts sat in the fridge until this past weekend. I "made" some focaccia, aka I took a Pillsbury french loaf and manhandled it into a not loaf shape, put on some olive oil and herbs, and baked it. Took that, sliced it into a giant sandwich, made some more pesto, and put on some cheese and made a paninni with the leftover chicken. THAT my friends, was a success.

So, the next time you are looking at a recipe saying to yourself, "surely the meant to have some salt and pepper, or SOMETHING..." trust your instincts... really.