Steamed Chicken with Basil Pesto and Toasted Pine Nuts

I love this type of recipes. You know, the type so simple to make, yet, so versatile that with a few more ingredients added in, leftovers morph into a whole new dish. For a quick lunch, I often enjoy cold this chicken with basil pesto. I love sandwiching the moist chicken slices between and sopping the richly-flavored sauce with a sourdough loaf. Any leftovers I toss with a cup or two of fettucini pasta to enjoy over again as a more substantial dinner meal.

Makes 4 Servings

Basil Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh basil leaves
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 tbsps Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
3 gloves garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Procedure

In a food processor or blender, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and half of olive oil. Process steadily until mixture turns into a grainy paste, while adding the rest of the olive oil in a thin, continuous stream. Remove to a container. Gently fold in grated cheese. Add more olive oil if sauce is too thick.

Fettucini with Basil Pesto Sauce and Toasted Pine Nuts

To Assemble

In a pan, toast pine nuts very lightly. Remove from heat and set aside.

Steam four 4-oz each boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Place in a container, cover and allow to cool in refrigerator. Cut to around 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange in a serving platter. Slather generously with basil pesto sauce and top with toasted pine nuts.

A few more versatile meal ideas in The CookMobile Archive:

This sauteed bean sprouts and tofu is delicious paired with fried fish and steamed rice. Leftovers are also excellent as eggroll fillings.

Lechon Kawali, with its crisp skin and succulent meat, is sinful! Fry up an extra slab and transform it into a crispy pork sisig for hubby’s happy hour!

Enjoy these shallot toasts with creme fraiche and smoked salmon for brunch. Toss any leftover creme mixture with spaghetti for a simple dinner meal.

Bangus sa Tausi (Milkfish with Black Beans)
Do you have any leftover fish? Transform them into this wonderful fish with black beans dish!

More Good Food!

Written by Lalaine · Filed Under Chicken and Poultry

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4 Responses to “Steamed Chicken with Basil Pesto and Toasted Pine Nuts”

Ben on November 16th, 2008 4:34 pm

I love this kind of simple dishes too, especially in days like this when I just want to sit on the couch and read :-p Great pictures!
Lalaine on November 17th, 2008 3:46 am

Thanks Ben! My daughter fixed them up a bit with Photoshop. Need to learn that program…difficult working with an impatient teenager…
Kevin on November 25th, 2008 12:05 pm

That looks really good. I like the bright green pesto against the white chicken.
Lalaine on November 25th, 2008 7:19 pm

Nice contrast, yes? Thanks for the visit Kevin.