Pesto Stuffed Cheesy Chicken

Pesto Ingredients: 

4 cups spinach

2 cups basil

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon

Pesto Directions: 

Place the spinach, basil, garlic, garlic, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Turn on the machine and blend for 30 seconds. Slowly stream in the olive oil while the machine is running. Process until smooth. 

Chicken Ingredients:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pesto from above

4 T cream cheese

4 T grated mozzarella cheese

3 T finely grated Parmesan cheese

black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a small casserole dish with non-stick spray. Trim any visible fat from chicken breasts, then put them one at a time inside a heavy plastic bag and pound with meat mallet until the chicken is as thin as you can get it.  Don't worry too much about the shape or whether there are some loose pieces, you can tuck them in when you roll up the chicken.

In a small bowl mix together the basil pesto, cream cheese, and grated mozzarella.  Use a rubber scraper to spread a thin layer of this mixture over each chicken breast, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge of the chicken (so it doesn't run out so much as it cooks.)   Roll up the chicken breasts. 

Put chicken breasts into the casserole dish and bake until the chicken is firm and lightly browned. Spread more pesto on top of chicken if wanted. Sprinkle parmesan, some salt and pepper. Bake for 35 minutes, or until 165 degrees and slightly brown on top.