Pesto stuffed chicken with tomato and watermelon salsa

Posted by petra08 on September 28, 2014 · 12 Comments 

I can never resist a good bunch of watercress. I saw some the other day in the market but it looked slightly off.Ever since I have been thinking about it and the veg mongers had some lovely looking cress and I knew I had to buy some. Watercress is bursting with flavour and it is full of nutrients, read more abut it here.

 

Tomato and watermelon salsa

preparation time 5-10 minutes 

cooking time 0 minutes 

serves 4

Ingredients

• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 2 1/4 slices of watermelon
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 avocado
• a good pinch of seasalt
• chopped coriander

Chop the tomatoes fairly fine along with the watermelon and avocado. Place in a bowl, add the lemon juice, sea salt and the coriander. Mix and let stand for a few minutes before serving.

 

Watercress pesto

preparation time 5 minutes 

cooking time 0 minutes 

serves 4

Ingredients

• a bunch of watercress, cleaned and patted dry
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 dl or 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan or Manchego cheese
• a handful of macadamia nuts
• good extra virgin olive oil

Chop the watercress and place in a food processor. Add the peeled garlic clove, roughly chopped with the macadamia nuts and a little olive oil. Add more oil and set aside until ready to use.

 

Parmesan crusted, pesto stuffed chicken breast

preparation time 10 minutes

cooking time 18 minutes, 3 minutes for pan frying and 15 minutes in the oven

oven 180C or 350F for 7 minutes and turn the heat up to 210C or 410F for the last 8 minutes

serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 medium sized chicken breasts
• 4 tbsp watercress pesto
• 1/2 dl or 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• oil for cooking

Rinse the chicken breasts and pat them dry. Cut a pocket along the chicken breast and stuff it with the pesto.

 

 

Grate the parmesan and mix with the sesame seeds, the paprika powder and the cracked black pepper.

 

 

Press the chicken in to the cheese mix before placing the chicken breasts in a hot pan. Brown the chicken before placing it in the oven for 15 minutes.

 

 

I made some mash to go with the chicken and mixed it with some spinach. The spinach is still growing in the garden, one of the few things the foxes seems to not have touched at all!

 

 

 

The tomato and watermelon salsa made the whole dish very fresh. The parmesan gave the chicken a nice crust and the pesto added lots of flavour.

 

 

The whole dish was ready in 30 minutes, quicker than the take away guys would come around!

 

I am bringing this to the always jam packed and fun filled foodie party around Fiesta Friday! Hosted by Angie who has brought some delicious apple pies and co hosted by the talented Prudy, Butter Basil and Breadcrumbs and Naina, Spice in the City. Prudy has brought one of the most comforting foods ever, Shepherds Pie and Naina brought a delicious looking Murgh Kofta Curry, come and join us or just have a look!

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Allotment/Veg, Avocado, Cheese, Chicken, Fruit, Herbs, Main course, Meat, Parmesan, Potatoes, Recipe, Tomatoes, Watermelon · Tagged with pesto stuffed chicken, tomato and watermelon salsa, watercress, watercress pesto