Pesto and Gruyere Grilled Chicken

I always have big plans for dinner.  In theory I would love to make all sorts of fancy things, like homemade sausage with broccoli rabe and zucchini noodles, or cauliflower crust pizza with roasted wild mushrooms and fresh ricotta.  It's a nice thought, but these things take more time than I have on a typical weeknight.  Most of the time I wind up making greens with a protein.  Now I'm not saying thats bad, on the contrary it's quite tasty and healthy with endless combinations.  The other day I was craving something slightly more fancy, so I dressed up my usual "meat and greens" meal and wound up with this fantastic pesto gruyere grilled chicken dish!

I always have pesto made in my fridge, due to my obsession with the green stuff and my giant basil patch.  If you don't have pesto on hand, you can always grab some pre-made at the store or whip up a batch on the weekend when you have time to use throughout the week.  It's a great thing to have ready made when you're in a time crunch and hungry.

With the addition of gruyere cheese, these grilled pesto chicken thighs are juicy, cheesy, and packed with flavor.  No dry chicken here!  I spruced up your typical sauteed kale with some roasted wild mushrooms, and viola!  An easy under 30 minute meal that will please even the pickiest of eaters. And if someone doesn't like this, their loss.  More for you!!


Pesto and Gruyere Grilled Chicken

yield: 2 servings

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded to 1/2"
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup pesto, divided (recipe follows)

2 oz gruyere cheese, diced

1 bunch kale, deveined and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup roasted wild mushrooms*
salt and pepper, to taste

*You can sub 1 cup of mixed sliced baby bella mushrooms and shitakee mushrooms if you don't have time to make the roasted wild mushrooms.  Simply add the mushrooms to the garlic and oil and saute for 3 minutes before adding the kale.

Directions:
1.  Generously salt and pepper both sides of the chicken thighs.  Sprinkle the garlic and onion powder evenly over both sides as well.
2.  Heat a flat cast iron pan over medium high heat and preheat the oven to 400 F.
3.  When the pan is hot, add the chicken thighs and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes.  You are looking to get a nice golden-brown sear on each side.
4.  Spread a tablespoon of pesto over the top of each piece of chicken and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
5.  After placing the chicken in the oven, add the oil and minced garlic to a pot and saute on medium heat until the garlic is fragrant and golden-brown.  Add the kale and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the kale is tender.  Stir in the mushrooms.
6.  Take the chicken out after 10 minutes and top with the diced cheese.  Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
7.  Turn the oven on broil for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble.  Serve hot with a side of the kale and mushrooms.



Basil Hemp Heart Pesto

3 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup toasted hemp hearts
1 cup pecorino romano cheese
1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Pulse the toasted hemp hearts and garlic in a food processor.  Add the basil leaves, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup olive oil.  Blend, streaming more oil into the food processor as it's running until desired consistency is reached.  Pulse in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.