Basil, the main ingredient in Pesto
According to the online food magazine TheNibble, pesto sauce originated in the Italian province of Liguria, sometimes called the Italian Rivera. In his book, "Delizia! The Epic History of the Italians and Their Food," John Dickie explains that Ligurians originally used pesto to flavor vegetable soup. Pesto developed as a sauce for pasta in 1910, and has evolved into a culinary embellishment that enhances meats, seafood, bread, pizza, salads, and vegetables. The olive oil and basil in pesto adds moisture, anti-oxidants, and a gourmet flair to regular baked chicken.
Instructions
1. Mix basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese in a blender or food processor to create the pesto sauce. Blend until a thick and smooth sauce forms. Set the pesto sauce aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Flatten chicken slightly. Place the chicken in a 13 x 9 baking dish.
3. Pour a 1/2 cup of pesto over the chicken, then top with the mushrooms. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Boil pasta while the chicken is baking.
4. Sprinkle baked chicken with the shredded provolone and bake for another 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
5. Drain pasta and mix with the remaining pesto. Place the pasta on individual plates and serve the chicken over the bed of pasta.
Tags: pesto sauce, baked chicken, chicken baking