RosemaryLong.com

We were low on groceries at the beginning of the week and I didn’t want fast food, so I walked to the grocery store on my lunch break and searched for inspiration. I made enough for dinner and leftovers, and when I brought it in for lunch the next day I received so much interest I took a picture and twittered it.

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
50g of wine salami (originally I wanted proscuitto, but they didn’t have any so I went with another salty meat)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Pesto (I get mine ready made from a jar)
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 fat cloves of garlic
1/4 cup shredded italian cheese of your choice (optional)
Chopped romaine, or your choice of greens

Score the grape tomatoes with a vertical slit and place on shallow baking pan big enough to also fit chicken. Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil.

Thinly slice garlic cloves. Remove the chicken tenders from each breast and set aside. Butterfly each breast and lay flat on cutting board. For each chicken breast, smear a tablespoon of pesto, add a couple of slices of garlic, a sprinkling of pine nuts, and slices of wine salami. Roll up and place on pan, opening side down. Add another tablespoon of pesto and smear on outside of chicken. Coat the chicken tenders with pesto and add on the same pan.
Place in 475ºF oven and roast until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165ºF. Add shredded cheese and broil until cheese is melty and brown. Remove chicken and slice. Place atop washed greens. Pick out tomatoes and tip juices onto everything. Garnish with more pine nuts, and a splash of balsamic vinegar, and serve.

When I brought this in for lunch, I put the sliced chicken and tomatoes in a small container, and brought the romaine in a separate one. I warmed up the chicken in the microwave until warm, threw the leaves into a pretty bowl, and topped with the chicken and tomatoes. As I was eating it I was reflecting, “I love this diet of mine”.