In this chicken pesto recipe, cutlets are lathered with pesto, rolled, breaded and baked. The dish can be prepared ahead of time and reheated, or even served cooled and sliced for an appetizer. Make it with store-bought pesto for an easy weeknight treat
Yield:
4 servingsIngredients
Butter for baking dish
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
4 boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/3-inch thickness
1/2 cup pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350˚ and set a rack to the middle position. Grease a medium square baking dish with butter, then set aside. Beat the eggs and pour into a shallow bowl. Fill another shallow bowl with the flour and a third with the two types of bread crumbs (stir them together).
Lay chicken breasts flat and slather each with 2 tablespoons pesto, then top with 1 tablespoon Parmesan and 1/2 tablespoon pine nuts.
Starting from the thicker end, roll the cutlet up, jelly roll-style, and secure with toothpicks in two places. Dredge each roll in the egg, then roll in flour to coat, followed by the bread crumb mix; transfer to the prepared baking dish. Drizzle all over with the olive oil and lemon juice and bake until golden brown and cooked through, 25 to 30minutes. Serve hot, cold, or sliced into pinwheels.
