Creamy Basil Pesto Chicken

My basil plant in the garden has gone crazy. In the past years I've let it get too tall and stalky, and the basil is useless. So I'm trying to harvest it regularly so it continues to do well. I wanted to create a dish that was mainly basil since it's one of my favorite flavors. Just as I don't follow patterns well in sewing, I highly prefer to just dump and throw things into a pot instead of following recipes. Wonder what that says about me. =) The problem is, when I love something I've created, I often forget what I did the next time I want to recreate it. So I'm trying to be better about writing things down. This was dinner last night, and I loved it. If you're a huge basil fan too, try it out and let me know what you think.

Creamy Basil Pesto Chicken

3-4 Tablespoons of basil pesto (recipe to follow)

1-1/2 cups of half and half (you could use heavy cream or even milk instead)

1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 chicken breasts

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add butter and olive oil. Meanwhile salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts. Saute them in the skillet for 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through. In a mixing bowl, combine the pesto, half and half, cheese, and salt and pepper. Pour into the pan, and let cook over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens (approx. 5 minutes). Serve over your favorite pasta (I used 1/2 box of penne cooked al dente).

Alicia's Basil Pesto

Huge bunch of basil (probably about 2 cups)

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 garlic cloves

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

olive oil (approx. 1/2 cup)

In a food processor, pulse basil, pecans, garlic, and 1/4 cup olive oil until finely ground. Add olive oil to your desired consistency. Then season with salt and pepper to taste.

You can use this pesto on pasta, to marinate chicken, or spread on crusty bread. You can add flavors as you wish to make it spicy, sweet, or more garlicy. =)