Pollo Italiano

I think chicken may just be one of the most universal foods ever. You can dress it up or down any which way you choose, and it is always delicious, plus you find chickens in every country around the world. We eat a lot of chicken in our house too, maybe, because it is so universal and so versatile.

I had made some pesto to use for something else, which ironically, I have not made what I originally made my pesto for yet. That’s OK though, I know how to make pesto and it only takes a couple of minutes to make, so I think I can easily make more at any time. 🙂 Instead, I used my pesto to make some Italian chicken, with Prosciutto, pesto and cheese.

Pesto is one of the easiest sauces to make. The traditional recipe is simply olive oil, toasted pine nuts, Parmigiano cheese, garlic (lots of garlic) and salt & pepper. That’s it. However, today, the possibilities of making pesto are endless, as are the ways to use it. Pesto is also very versatile and can be used for just about anything you can imagine.

Preheat the oven to 350* F or 180*C and spray a baking pan with cooking spray.

For my pollo Italiano, I seared and browned my chicken breasts in the skillet with a combination of olive oil and butter. First, I coated the chicken pieces with flour mixed with salt & pepper and them placed them in the hot oil and butter combination and cooked until they were golden brown all both sides. Get the skillet nice and hot before adding the chicken.

When the chicken is browned, place it in the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 15 minutes, then remove it from the oven and add a little pesto, the cheese and top it off with the prosciutto. Place it back in the oven to finish cooking, for about another 10-15 minutes, or until the juices from the chicken run clear.

When the chicken is completely cooked, serve it up with your favorite side dishes and top it with just a dash more pesto. This time, I served it over rice and with a sauteed summer vegetable medley on the side.

Add some warmed bread and a glass or two of white wine, and voila, dinner is served, Italian style. It is quick, easy-peasy, and very delicious to boot, which in my book, that makes it a definite winner. !Deliciozo! !Mangia! 🙂

Stay safe and stay well on this Memorial Day weekend. ‘Til next time.