A basic chicken and vegetable dinner takes on an elegant touch with the addition of mushrooms and pesto.
Servings: Serves 8
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts
  • 3/4 cup basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt
  • 24 baby yellow beets or 4 sliced and peeled red beets
  • 24 baby carrots or 4 large sliced and peeled carrots
  • 24 baby parsnips or 4 sliced and peeled parsnips and freshly ground pepper
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • 1 red bell pepper , seeded and cut into 1/8-inch strips
  • 1 1/2 pounds   mixed mushrooms (shiitakes, chanterelles, oysters, morels or buttons), cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (5 to 7 ounces each)
  • Directions
    Place first 4 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined, scraping sides along the way. Season with salt to taste.

    Fill a large saucepan 3/4 full with salted water; bring to a boil. Add beets and cook 10 to 12 minutes, until almost tender. Add carrots and parsnips and cook 5 more minutes. Remove vegetables and let cool.

    Preheat oven to 375°. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and garlic in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; cook pepper and mushrooms until wilted, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

    Place 1 chicken breast between plastic wrap and carefully pound until breast is 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove plastic wrap and spread 1/4 of pesto on chicken breast. Add 1/4 of mushroom-pepper mixture on top. Carefully roll up chicken (jelly roll fashion); secure with toothpicks. Repeat with each breast. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté rolled breasts over medium-high heat until golden, turning to brown all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in oven 10 to 13 minutes.

    Over medium-high heat, sauté 2 tablespoons olive oil and vegetables just until hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

    Remove chicken from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes. Remove toothpicks and slice crosswise into 11/2-inch slices. Plate 3 to 4 slices per person with baby vegetables.

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