Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Roasted Vegetables

A Neven Maguire Recipe

Ingredients:

125g ball mozzarella, torn into small pieces
4 tbsp basil pesto
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets
8 smoked streaky bacon rashers, rinds removed
8 cherry tomatoes

FOR THE ROAST VEGETABLES:
3 courgettes, trimmed and thickly sliced
3 carrots, cut into thick fingers
1 aubergine, trimmed and cut into thick fingers
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 red peppers, cored, seeded and cut into chunks
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 onion, chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 mild red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6. To prepare the roast vegetables, place all of the vegetables in a large roasting tin and drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Th en sprinkle the chilli and sesame seeds on top and season to taste.
2. Spread everything out to a single layer, then roast for about 45 minutes until the vegetables are tender and catching around the edges, tossing once or twice. Meanwhile, mix the mozzarella and pesto together.
3. Cut a slit into the side of each chicken breast, then stuff with the pesto mixture. Place two halved cherry tomatoes in each breast. Wrap each stuff ed chicken breast with two bacon rashers – not too tightly, but enough to hold the chicken together. Season, place on a baking sheet and place in the oven about 10 minutes after the vegetables went in.
4. Roast the stuff ed chicken breasts for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender and the bacon is crispy. Remove from the oven and rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. Arrange the roast vegetables on warmed plates with the pesto stuff ed chicken breasts to serve.