My Daily Challenge: Balsamic Chicken with Creamy Pesto Sauce

I found this recipe in one of my Rachael Ray cookbooks. She posts the recipe as a 15-minute meal. I haven’t been able to complete it that quickly, but it is fast. My whole family enjoys it and the presentation is beautiful. In fact, my children said that it looks like something you would order at a restaurant.

2 T. balsamic vinegar

4 T. olive oil

Salt and pepper

4 small chicken breasts

About 6 cups of spinach

Juice of 1 lemon

2 T. butter

2 T. flour

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1/3 cup half & half or cream

¼ cup store bought pesto

Parmesan cheese

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, 2 T. of the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken and turn to coat.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with 1 T of the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes on each side.

While the chicken is cooking, in a large bowl combine the spinach, lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to your taste.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Add the butter to the skillet, and when it has melted, add the flour and cook for a minute or so. Whisk in the chicken stock and cream and bring to a simmer to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the pesto.

Slice the chicken and arrange on dinner plates. Pour the pesto sauce over the chicken, then top with the spinach and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!