Gorgonzola Pesto Cheese Chicken

When I moved out on my own after college, I asked my mom for a few recipes. The chicken cordon bleu was one, and she sent me an email full of other chicken recipes. I only tried this one because of my love affair with pesto. I was not disappointed. This chicken dish is packed full of bold flavors from the pesto and bleu cheese. It's pretty simple, but can be impressive to guests. If you like bleu cheese and pesto, you'll love this chicken dish. I halve the recipe, because 8 pieces of chicken is A LOT for just Wes and me.

Gorgonzola (or bleu cheese) Pesto Cheese Chicken

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup prepared pesto

2 oz. cream cheese

2 oz. Gorgonzola or bleu cheese, softened

salt & pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

2 Tb olive oil

Pound chicken to 1/4" thickness. Season with salt & pepper.

Mash together cream cheese, pesto and Gorgonzola. Give this a little try and adjust the flavors to your liking. Divide cheese mixture among the chicken. Fold chicken in half to enclose filling and squeeze edges to seal.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Dip chicken bundle in egg and then dredge in breadcrumbs to coat well. Pour oil into a jelly roll pan and place in oven for 3 to 4 minutes until oil is hot. Do not allow oil to smoke.

After oil is heated, place chicken on the pan and bake for 8 minutes. Turn chicken over and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

See the wonderful pesto in the cheese? Yummy.

So it can be a little messy when making. The chicken doesn't always fold neatly over the cheese mixture. It's not exactly the healthiest meal either... especially when I made mashed potatoes with whipping cream and bleu cheese like I did above. But it's all so good and rich. I really enjoy the tanginess of the bleu cheese, which goes well with the zestiness of the pesto. The best part about this meal? The cheese that oozes out of the chicken and onto the baking pan that gets all crispy. Mmmm.... Don't judge until you try it!

The bread crumbs give the chicken a nice crunch to the dish, which plays off well to the creaminess of the cheese. Of course, you don't have to bread the chicken - it'll be just as good without it. If you don't bread it, season both sides of the chicken breast with salt & pepper.

Give it a try! You won't be disappointed. Unless you don't like pesto... or bleu cheese.

Happy cooking!