Apricot-Basil Pesto Chicken

It's apricot season!! And the reason this makes me so happy, is because I get to make apricot jam! My FAVORITE! I was lucky enough to be invited to pick apricots at a friend's house today. Ever since my parents decided to sell my childhood home and move to the prettiest, greenest valley in the state (so selfish! just kidding, I wish I could live there too), I haven't had access to apricots. I was so excited today as I picked, that I almost fell off the ladder....TWICE. True story. But I survived. And I can't wait to make the jam.

But for now, we decided to enjoy fresh apricots in this dish. YUM! This apricot-basil pesto, is AMAZING. I was actually eating it plain. 

And this dish, is quite impressive. So feel free to entertain with it. Just serve it with some rice, cooked in chicken broth, and a green veggie, like steamed asparagus, and you're set. Enjoy!

{STUFFED APRICOT AND BASIL CHICKEN}

1 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves

2 fresh apricots, pitted (or you could use dried, if it's out of season)

1/4 c. chopped pecans

2 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, quartered

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. apricot preserves, melted

For pesto:  Combine fresh basil, apricots, pecans, olive oil, and garlic in a blender. Blend with several on-off turns until a paste forms. Be sure to scrape down the sides, to incorporate all the goodness into the pesto.

Prepare the chicken: Place each chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Working from the center to the edges, pound with a meat mallet to 1/8-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle chicken with salt. Spread pesto on each chicken breast. Fold in sides of each piece and roll up into a spiral, pressing edges to seal. Fasten with toothpicks. 

Place chicken on grill and cook directly over medium heat for 18-20 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink (165 degrees). Turn once half-way through grilling time to ensure all sides are cooked evenly. Brush with apricot preserves the last 5 minutes of grilling.