Ingredients
- 1 clove of garlic
- 3 large handfuls of basil (leaves only)
- 30g of pine nuts
- 30g of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- a small squeeze of lemon juice
- salt and pepper
- 4 boneless, chicken breasts
- 100g of fresh mozzarella
- 8 slices of prosciutto or smoked bacon
Method
• Put the pine nuts in a heavy skillet on the hob and heat gently for about 5 minutes, stirring until lightly golden. Be careful not to overcook as this will create an unusual flavour to the pesto.
• Put the garlic, basil, pine nuts and lemon juice into a food chopper or processor and chop into small pieces. Add half the parmesan and pulse again.
• Slowly add the remaining parmesan and the olive oil simultaneously, tasting until you get the desired consistency and taste. It is better to make a slightly thicker pesto when using it as a filling for the chicken. Some people prefer quite a strong cheese taste, others prefer something a little subtler.
• Pre-heat the oven to 200 °C (gas mark 6). Cut the chicken and using a sharp knife or scissors to create a cavity in each piece.
• Open up the chicken and add a spoonful of pesto and a chunk of mozzarella. Seal the chicken by wrapping the each piece with two rashes of the prosciutto or bacon, you can secure it further with a cocktail stick if required. Lightly oil a baking tray and place the chicken on it.
• Place the tray in the pre-heated oven and cook for 40 to 45 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken. Test to see whether it is cooked by inserting a skewer in the thickest part of the meat and seeing whether the juices run clear.
