Pesto Baked Chicken Breast
Looking for a main dish that’s quick and easy but doesn’t compromise on flavor? Juicy chicken breasts coated with homemade fresh basil pesto and baked to perfection will bring a touch of Italy to your everyday meal. Your Geedel manual food chopper is the perfect tool for creating smooth, vibrant pesto—emulsifying herbs, nuts, and oil into a flawless sauce in just minutes.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
For the pesto:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional additions:
- 1 tomato, sliced
- Mozzarella cheese slices
Instructions:
1. Make smooth pesto:
Place basil leaves, Parmesan, pine nuts, and garlic into the container of the Geedel food chopper (fitted with the chopping blade). Secure the lid and turn the handle continuously until ingredients are finely chopped into a coarse paste.
Replace the chopping blade with the mixing paddle. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Secure the lid and turn the handle steadily for about 1 minute until the sauce is smooth, emulsified, and brightly colored.
2. Prepare the chicken:
Butterfly each chicken breast by slicing horizontally without cutting all the way through, creating a “pocket.” Spread a generous amount of pesto evenly inside and outside the pocket. If desired, stuff with tomato slices and mozzarella.
3. Bake:
Place the prepared chicken breasts in a baking dish and drizzle a little extra pesto on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
4. Serve:
Let rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with cooked pasta or roasted vegetables, drizzled with any remaining sauce from the baking dish.
Summary:
The deliciousness of this dish hinges entirely on the quality of the pesto. The Geedel vegetable chopper simplifies the process—first chopping, then emulsifying—to create a rich, professionally textured pesto that transforms simple chicken breasts into an impressive Italian-inspired main course.
