Breaded Pesto Chicken

I am finding that I am becoming more critical of the price of pre-packed food, and especially dismissive of ready-cooked meals. Today, for example, (and not for the first time) I needed to get some chicken breast fillets. My only option, given time, was to get some from the supermarket, well, M&S actually. I really like M&S chicken, having always found it to cook well and stay moist. It looks fresh too. After surveying the options for the fillets, even given the 3 for £10 price tag, I said to R that actually two medium sized chickens would be more cost effective. The decision was made... I have worked out that the puny chicken fillets that are offered anywhere pre-packed, are no way near the size of the two you get from a chicken if you butcher it yourself. Additionally, you get two chicken quarters, two chicken wings and enough spare meat to make a chicken broth with the stock you can make too! All of this for £5!!

I doubled this today as I needed three fillets, but I have a pile of joints for Coq au Vin tomorrow, and am boiling the bones for stock/broth as we speak. I have put one fillet in the freezer (because they are so big) for another meal in the week. Talk about cooking with frugality - my grandparents would have been proud!

So tonight's meal... Breaded Pesto Chicken.

3 chicken breast fillets
2 tbsp cream cheese
1 tbsp green pesto
1 tbsp pine nuts.
3 rashers bacon
1 egg
300g breadcrumbs mixed with 2-3 tbsp semolina.

Mix the pesto with the cheese and then add the pine nuts.
Cut a slit in the chicken through the middle, but do not cut through the breast.
Fill the slit with the cheese mix.
wrap a piece of bacon around the chicken to help seal the slit.
Roll the chicken in the egg, then the breadcrumb mix, and then repeat.
Place in a baking dish.
Cook for 40-45 mins at 200 C, when the breadcrumbs should be crisp and the chicken is cooked.

Serve with a colourful salad and a Saturday night glass of wine (or two)! :-)

Breaded pesto chicken

Pesto cheese through the middle