The Briny Lemon: Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Roasted-Garlic Pesto

Recipe updated August 2015

I usually make pesto with only basil, but other herbs add great flavor and aroma as well, as in this version with flat-leaf parsley. This simple, no-cook dish is a delicious, boldly flavored topping for chicken as much as it is a dressing for pasta.

Typical pesto is made with chopped garlic ground into the herbs and other ingredients. Here, I roasted the garlic to bring out the rich, sweet depth of the cloves that only roasting can do.

You can easily double the recipe and freeze half for a later use. If you do so, freeze the half you’re keeping before stirring in the cheese. When it's thawed and ready to use, stir in the cheese at that point.

For another pesto idea, check out Linguine with Garlic Shrimp in Parsley-Pecan Pesto.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 very large, unpeeled garlic cloves
olive oil, for drizzling plus 1 tbsp
sea salt
1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1/4 cup broken walnut pieces
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or other Parmesan cheese)
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (7-8 oz each)

Preparation

Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 375° F.
Place the garlic cloves on a small piece of aluminum foil and fold the edges up to form a packet. Drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with salt. Fold over the edges of the foil, sealing tightly.
Set the packet on a small shallow baking pan and roast until the garlic is very tender, 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully open the packet, and let cool.

Garlic with Oil and Salt

Roasted Garlic

Place the parsley, basil, and walnuts in a food processor. Open the skin of the cooled garlic cloves and squeeze the pulp into the processor. Season with salt and pepper and grind until the ingredients are finely chopped.
With the processor on, slowly pour in the extra virgin olive oil.
Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl and process until smooth.
Scrape the sauce into a bowl and stir in the cheese. Set aside while the chicken cooks and re-stir before using.

Ready to Process

Ground Ingredients

Oil Added

Roasted-Garlic Pesto

Heat a large, heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, swirling to coat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook until golden on the bottom, 8-9 minutes.
Turn the breasts over and sear until golden on the other side and just cooked through, 8-9 minutes longer, depending on thickness. (Tip: Lay a sheet of aluminum foil lightly over the skillet to help retain moisture as the chicken finishes.)