Chicken Pesto Rollups

You know, I've never been a pesto fan. It's not something that I think...Oooooh, some pesto pasta or pesto pizza would REALLY hit the spot. In fact, I think I have maybe ordered one dish including the green stuff in my life. Serious. Well, my dear sweet husband went grocery shopping for me the other day. Now, normally he is not allowed to do so as he will blow the monthly budget and almost double what I would normally spend. This outing was no different. He was really so sweet though. He took the time to really shop out products that I would have dismissed as having gluten or corn. I was surprised at all of the interesting things he came home with. One of which was a BIG jar of Pesto. I mean, this thing is GINORMOUS! Soooooo I am needing to be pretty creative on how to use it up before the expiration date.

So I came up with this little recipe. I am amazed at how easy it all was to throw together and how delicious the end result was. The hubby and I literally SCARFED them up.

I began with four 4oz frozen chicken tenderloins. I threw them in the microwave to do some defrosting. Then I put about 1/4 cup of pesto in a small bowl and set it aside.

Next, I grabbed two slices of dried tomatoes. Now, I know the majority of you will not have dried tomatoes. I happen to have some from my garden last year. I dehydrated the surplus of red vegetables and have been able to use them all winter long. Great thing, is you can just use some sundried maters you can buy at the store. You don't need a whole lot. Maybe 2 tablespoons. Dice them up into small pieces.

Now, you will want about 1/2 cup rice chex cereal crumbs. Now this is my munchkin's most favorite "helping" job. Crunching all that cereal in her little hands. Today....well she decided to POP the ziploc bag would be funner. Yes, this is the end result. Notice there is NO look of remorse on that little face....little stinker bum.

Ok, now get together a salt shaker, 4 toothpicks, about 1 ounce mozzarella cheese cut into four 1" pieces, 1 beaten egg, the cereal crumbs, tomatoes and pesto. Then lightly grease a small baking sheet.

Now, your chicken should be thawed, place them in a gallon size ziploc baggie and grab a mallet. Now....I don't have a kitchen mallet, so my hubby's orange one will have to do. Lightly pound the pieces flat.

Now take your flattened chicken pieces and lightly salt the outside. Next get 1 tablespoon pesto and spread on the inside of the chicken (meaning the inside of the chicken you will be rolling up? got it?), then spread some diced tomatoes along the center and place a piece of mozzarella on the end.

Now roll up your chicken and place a toothpick through the chicken and cheese to hold it together securely.

 Now dip or spoon the egg over the outside and roll the rollup (wow, that isn't redundant is it???) in the cereal crumbs. Place on the greased baking sheet and your SET!

Bake these little guys at 400 for about 20 minutes on the center rack to keep the cereal from burning. It's SO yum...even for that patsy green stuff lol!

Recipe:

4 4oz chicken tenderloins (thawed or fresh)
1/4 cup prepared pesto
2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes diced
1 ounce mozzarella cut into four 1" pieces
salt
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup rice chex cereal crumbs
4 toothpicks

Preheat oven to 400 and lightly grease a small baking pan then set aside. Place chicken in a gallon size ziploc bag and lightly pound them flat. Remove from the bag and lightly salt the outside of each piece of chicken then spread 1 tablespoon of pesto on the inside. Then place one piece of cheese on one end of the chicken and sprinkle some of the tomato pieces. Roll up the chicken and place a toothpick through the tip and through the cheese to hold it securely. Then either dip the chicken roll up or spoon some egg on the outside then roll it in the cereal crumbs covering the outside. Repeat process for all four pieces of chicken. Place on the greased baking pan and bake at 400 for 20 minutes on the center rack of your oven.