Rustic Spinach Pesto (with Chicken)

With two bunches of spinach this week, this seemed appropriate!

Spinach Pesto
1 bunch of spinach, washed and chopped (about 4 cups)
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (or to your liking)
3 – 4 cloves of garlic crushed
1/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese (or more)
1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
Some red pepper flakes (to taste)

Put spinach, cheese, nuts (if using), lemon juice, seasoning and garlic into a food processor and pulse until combined.. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until smooth. Note: I don’t have a fancy processor, so I removed the dry pesto and added the olive oil. You can put in a mason jar and store in the refrigerator for about one week if you have left overs or make it a day in advance to save time.  Bring to room temperature to serve.

Excellent on steamed or roasted veggies and baked potatoes.

Baked Pesto Chicken

2 chicken breasts, split in half lengthwise (thinner pieces)
Olive oil
Rustic Spinach Pesto

Preheat oven to 375. Coat baking dish with some olive oil and lay the chicken on top. Top generously with the Rustic Spinach Pesto. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

Note: I added a little more parmesan to the top and then broiled for about 5 minutes just to brown it up on top.