Baked Mozzarella Chicken Breast with Pastry & Pesto

For this recipe I have made a bit of a twist on the usual Baked Mozzarella Chicken Breast. I have added basil pesto and fresh tomato - but best of all I have added a crunchy pastry top!

I know, right?  Crunchy, flaky, golden strips of pastry are what baked mozzarella chicken breasts have been missing all along! I was thinking the exact same thing!

How do you make Baked Mozzarella Chicken?

• Brush your chicken breasts with basil pesto - see Image (1).
• Place mozzarella slices on top of pesto. - see Image (2).

• Brush a little extra pesto on top of mozzarella slices - see Image (3).
• Top with slices of fresh tomato - see Image (4).

  

  Image (3)

  

  Image (4)

  
  
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper - see Image (5).
• Cut a sheet of frozen puff pastry into quarters, then each quarter into 4 strips and place on top of breasts - see Image (6).

  

  Image (5)

  

  Image (6)

  
  
• Tuck the end of pastry strips under the breasts slightly - you can stretch them a little if you need to - see Image (7).
• Bake for 20 mins or chicken is cooked through - see Image (8).

  

  Image (7)

  

  Image (8)

  
  

Totally unrelated........    I'm so excited you guys......   I.   MADE.   A.   VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup - look out, I'm moving with the times!

AND, after a lot of research, googling, and some good old-fashioned "McGyvering" or for Australian readers a bit of "bush mechanics" (it did involve sticky-tape and a broom handle - one day I might share!) I managed to get there! *happy dance*

But true to form, it wasn't totally plain sailing. If you decide to watch the video - it's only about 58 seconds - don't miss my awkwardness on display towards the end. I laughed so hard when I first saw it I decided to leave it in the final cut!

I'm pretty sure that Hollywood won't be calling anytime soon...

Enjoy!

Lee-Ann ♥

Baked Mozzarella Chicken Breast with Pastry & Pesto

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Baked Mozzarella Chicken Breast with Pastry & Pesto - take your baked mozzarella chicken up a notch by adding pesto and a crunchy pastry top!

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Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 501kcal

Author: Lee-Ann Grace

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoon basil pesto (see my notes for recipe)
• 125 g fresh mozzarella ball (thinly sliced)
• 1 tomato (thinly sliced)
• salt & pepper

Instructions

• Pre heat oven to 210c, and line a rimmed baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
• Take your pastry sheet out of the freezer to thaw while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Using a meat mallet (or something else heavy!) lightly pound out the thicker end of each breast, just to make them the same thickness all over.
• Place breasts on to the prepared tray, then spread 2 teaspoon of basil pesto onto each breast.
• Place overlapping slices of mozzarella on top of the pesto, then roughly spread another 2 teaspoon of basil pesto on top of mozzarella. 
• Place overlapping slices of tomato on top of final pesto layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then set aside briefly.
• With a sharp knife, divide the sheet of puff pastry into quarters. Then cut each individual quarter into 4 even strips.
• Place 4 strips over each layered chicken breast leaving space between each strip, and lightly tuck the ends of the pastry under the chicken. It's ok to stretch it slightly if you need to. See video.
• Bake for 20 mins, or until chicken is cooked through.

Notes

Click here for my Basil Pesto recipe. This tastes soooo much better than store-bought pesto, and in my opinion is worth taking the time for. Plus you can keep the leftovers in the fridge. You can of course use store-bought pesto! The chicken will still taste great!

Cooking time - this will depend on the size of the chicken breasts. As we all know, they can vary a lot in size. My tip would also be to try and get breasts that are roughly the same size so they bake evenly.

*Please note that the amount of calories per serve is provided as a guide only, as ingredients and cooking methods can vary greatly*