Right before we left for our trip to Italy in May, I decided that I wanted to try making my own pesto. It turned out great, but while on a food tour in Florence, Italy, we found out that the way I make pesto is actually spot on. It’s made pretty much the same way in Italy. The only difference is that I use fresh lemon juice and the Italians don’t. I think it adds a burst of freshness, but, don’t just take my word for it, give it a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients

2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup of fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup of pine nuts
1/2 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese
about 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, more if needed
1/2 lemon, juiced, seeds removed
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cut the chicken breasts into 3-inch pieces, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. In a food processor, add the basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper.

3. Start grinding the mixture together and gradually stream in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency. I don’t prefer too much oil in my pesto and this seems works better with the chicken, so be careful with the amount of oil you pour.

4. Once the peso is pasty and smooth, start preheating your grill plate or outdoor grill.

5. Add the chicken to the grill and baste each side with the pesto sauce.

6. Grill until chicken is cooked. Server warm and enjoy!

Don’t eat chicken? No problem! Try the same recipe with grilled tofu instead. This goes great with the heirloom tomato recipe on my site and with some buttery garlic bread.