Baked Pesto Chicken

From the South Beach Diet: Quick & Easy Cookbook

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes

Makes 4 servings

Store-bought pesto and mozzarella cheese are all it takes to turn tender chicken breasts into an incredibly easy-to-make dish that will likely become a new family favorite.

4 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup pesto (from a jar)

2 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 375˚ F.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Spread 1/4 cup of the pest in a 9-by 13-inch baking dish. Lay chicken breasts over pesto in an even layer and spread with remaining pesto.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake chicken until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and top with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrition at a glace -

Per serving: 390 calories, 20 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 46 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 0 g dietary fiber, 450 mg sodium

Country Girl's alterations on this yummy recipe -

• Instead of regular pepper I use seasoned pepper which gives it an extra kick and is still good for you.
• If you have extra time, use the pesto that comes in a packet. I cook it on the stove until it just barely starts to boil and then I start putting all my ingredients together in the pan, but not the cheese. That comes later!
• Cook the chicken the full 25 minutes before adding the cheese. That works best for me. Of course I know not everyone's oven cooks the same.