Tomato-Almond Pesto over Seared Chicken

I saw Lidia Bastianich make this pesto with basil, tomatoes, almonds, and grated cheese and knew I had to make it. I loved that she served it over chicken instead of the typical pasta, so that’s what I did too. It is a fantastic way to fancy-up a simple piece of chicken!  Delicious!

Tomato-Almond Pesto over Seared Chicken
Just the Tip / Inspired by Lidia Bastianich

What I used:

• 6 medium skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• kosher salt
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 12 oz cherry tomatoes
• 12 large fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup toasted almonds
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino or parmesan cheese

What I did:

1. Combine the tomatoes, basil, almonds, garlic, 1 tsp of salt, grated cheese, and the crushed red pepper in a food processor and puree for about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and add in all but a couple of tbsp of the olive oil with the food processor running. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Set aside.
2. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a couple of tablespoons in a large skillet and, working in batches, brown the chicken well on both sides until the chicken reaches 160 degrees. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, warm up the pesto in the same saute pan. Serve the pesto on top of the chicken.

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