TUSCAN CHICKEN BREASTS WITH GRILLED VEGETABLES ...a little taste of Italy

This is so easy and delicious!

I usually make two- one to eat warm with pan grilled broccoli, cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes – and one to eat cold a few days later, thinly sliced in a salad or thinly sliced into warm spaghetti squash if I am missing pasta. It’s easy to find pre-made pesto of all kinds in the summer markets and all the ones I have tried work wonderfully with chicken. In my experience, these pestos freeze well also.

Flattened your chicken breasts by placing them, one at a time, into a large plastic freezer bag that is not zipped close. Using a meat mallet (or a heavy empty vase, in my case), pound the breasts into an even thickness of about ¾”.

Spoon 1-2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto on the breast to cover surface completely.

Bake on non-stick surface (I use a silpat pad on a baking sheet ) at 400 F. for 20-30 minutes. Watch them as timing will vary according to size and thickness- avoid overcooking and drying them out. Remove from heat and let juices settle before slicing.

For the grilled vegetables, I use ½ cup of each of the broccoli, cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes, I cut the broccoli and cauliflower into pieces the size of the cherry tomatoes.

Get your grill pan hot, spray lightly with cooking spray (I use olive oil in a pump sprayer) and start with the broccoli and cauliflower.
When they have some color on one side, turn them and add the cherry tomatoes. This comes together quickly- the vegetables have some nice caramelization and the smell is wonderful.

Remove from heat and squeeze with a fresh lemon while hot. Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!