For the longest time (over 3 decades!) neither Eric nor I liked tomatoes. Ketchup and tomato sauce were fine, but that was it. At some point, that changed. Ever since, we have been growing tomatoes in our home garden. This Spring, we bought 3 kinds of cherry tomato plants. The two bush tomatoes went into pots on our deck and the third one went into the ground in our small vegetable and herb plot. The two deck plants already have small tomatoes on them. They’ll be flowering and producing delectable little tomatoes all Summer long!

Cherry tomatoes feature prominently in today’s recipe. While this is a chicken entree, the showstoppers of the dish are the blistered tomatoes along the whipped feta cheese. The chicken is turned into crispy cutlets flavored with pesto then topped with juicy burst tomatoes. It is all served over a creamy whipped feta and Greek yogurt mixture enhanced with fresh lemon. It’s a completely delicious meal that our home-grown tomatoes will be a part of all Summer long!

Pesto Chicken with Whipped Feta & Tomatoes

Pesto Chicken with Whipped Feta & Tomatoes (adapted from eatingwell.com)  Total Time: 50 minutes, Active Time: 30 minutes, Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces feta cheese in brine, drained and crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 4 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, divided
• 4-1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, divided
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons basil pesto, divided
• 1 pound chicken breasts
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 12 ounces (2 cups) cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

 Directions:

Combine the feta with the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the yogurt, 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in the cup of a wand blender or in a food processor. Process until very smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the cup or bowl once or twice.

Make the whipped feta.

With the processor running, slowly add 2 teaspoons of water to the cup or through the chute. Process until the mixture appears whipped, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Pulse until incorporated, about three 1-second pulses. Transfer the whipped feta to a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The whipped feta can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.

Place the chicken breasts between pieces of plastic wrap. Pound to 1/4-inch, uniform thickness. Cut the pounded breasts into 4 cutlets. Pat the cutlets dry.

Pound the chicken breasts to 1/4-inch thickness.

Place the flour in a shallow dish and place the panko in a separate shallow dish. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of pesto and 1 tablespoon of water to the egg and whisk it all together until combined.

Combine the egg with some pesto and water.

Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge it in flour, turning to coat. Place the floured cutlet in the egg mixture, turning to coat and letting the excess egg mixture drip back into the bowl. Place the cutlet in the panko, turning to coat, and patting it lightly to help the panko adhere. Place the coated cutlet on a large plate. Repeat the process with the remaining cutlets. Discard the remaining egg mixture, flour, and panko after all the cutlets have been coated.

Coat the cutlets in flour, then egg, and finally in the panko.

Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 of the breaded cutlets to the hot oil.

Cook the chicken.

Cook, flipping once, until the cutlets are golden brown and crispy on both sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 4 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low as needed to prevent burning. Transfer the cutlets to a clean plate and cover them loosely with foil to keep them warm. Repeat the process with another 1-1/2 tablespoons oil and the remaining 2 cutlets. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Cook until the panko is nicely browned and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Wipe the skillet clean. Heat the remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and cook.

Add the tomatoes to the skillet.

Stirring occasionally, cook the tomatoes until they are starting to blister, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the black pepper, the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Cook the tomatoes until they start to blister.

Spread the whipped feta on a platter. Sprinkle it with some Aleppo pepper, if desired.

Spoon the feta onto a serving platter and sprinkle with Aleppo pepper.

Arrange the chicken cutlets on top of the whipped feta. Spoon the burst tomatoes over the chicken.

Top the whipped feta with the chicken and the tomatoes.

If desired, stir the remaining 2 tablespoons of pesto with 1 tablespoon of water together in a small bowl. Drizzle the pesto mixture over the chicken. Serve.

Serve with additional pesto, if desired.

Homegrown is so delicious!  ~Linda

Pesto Chicken with Whipped Feta & Tomatoes (adapted from eatingwell.com)  Total Time: 50 minutes, Active Time: 30 minutes, Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces feta cheese in brine, drained and crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 4 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, divided
• 4-1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, divided
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons basil pesto, divided
• 1 pound chicken breasts
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 12 ounces (2 cups) cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

 Directions:

Combine the feta with the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the yogurt, 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in the cup of a wand blender or a food processor. Process until very smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the cup or bowl once or twice.

With the processor running, slowly add 2 teaspoons of water to the cup or through the chute. Process until the mixture appears whipped, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Pulse until incorporated, about three 1-second pulses. Transfer the whipped feta to a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The whipped feta can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.

Place the chicken breasts between pieces of plastic wrap. Pound to 1/4-inch, uniform thickness. Cut the pounded breasts into 4 cutlets. Pat the cutlets dry.

Place the flour in a shallow dish and place the panko in a separate shallow dish. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of pesto and 1 tablespoon of water to the egg and whisk it all together until combined. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge it in flour, turning to coat. Place the floured cutlet in the egg mixture, turning to coat and letting the excess egg mixture drip back into the bowl. Place the cutlet in the panko, turning to coat, and patting it lightly to help the panko adhere. Place the coated cutlet on a large plate. Repeat the process with the remaining cutlets. Discard the remaining egg mixture, flour, and panko after all the cutlets have been coated.

Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 of the breaded cutlets to the hot oil, Cook, flipping once, until the cutlets are golden brown and crispy on both sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 4 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low as needed to prevent burning. Transfer the cutlets to a clean plate and cover them loosely with foil to keep them warm. Repeat the process with another 1-1/2 tablespoons oil and the remaining 2 cutlets. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Wipe the skillet clean. Heat the remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are starting to blister, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the black pepper, the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Spread the whipped feta on a platter. Sprinkle it with some Aleppo pepper, if desired. Arrange the chicken cutlets on top of the whipped feta. Spoon the burst tomatoes over the chicken. If desired, stir the remaining 2 tablespoons of pesto with 1 tablespoon of water together in a small bowl. Drizzle the pesto mixture over the chicken. Serve.