Pesto Chicken Strata Food

PESTO CHICKEN STRATA

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain., In a large bowl, mix basil, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, pine nuts and garlic. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk and remaining oil, salt and pepper., In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer half of the bread cubes, a third of the cheese mixture and half of the chicken. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cheese mixture. Pour egg mixture over top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional basil.

PROSCIUTTO-PESTO BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine milk and wine. Dip both sides of bread in milk mixture; squeeze gently to remove excess liquid. Layer bread slices in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Sprinkle with basil and parsley; drizzle with oil. Layer with half of the cheese, half of the prosciutto and all of the tomatoes; drizzle with half of the pesto. Top with remaining cheese, prosciutto and pesto., In a small bowl, whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper until blended; pour over top. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN STRATA

Steps:

• Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, water and cover. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until all liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Transfer vegetables to large bowl.
• Add chicken and mayonnaise, mix well. Whisk milk, broth, eggs, parsley, chives, salt and pepper in another bowl.
• Lightly butter a 13x9 inch glass baking dish. Spread half of bread cubes in dish; top with chicken mixture. Spread remaining cubes over chicken. Pour egg mixture over ingredients in dish. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 10 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Bake strata for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes; serve hot.

BACON PESTO STRATA

Steps:

• Prepare ramekins by buttering and then dusting with the bread crumbs.
• For pesto, saute bacon; remove.
• Then wilt spinach in 1 T bacon fat.
• Process bacon, spinach, parsley and yogurt until paste forms.
• Beat together eggs, yogurt, milk, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl until blended.
• The mixture will be about as thich as heavy cream.
• Set aside.
• Before drying bread, be sure to cut it to fit ramekins (to dry, cut with cookie cutter, making sure it fits inside the ramekins, line a baking sheet with a rack and toast the breat at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until dry).
• Small baguettes work well too.
• Spread 1 T pesto on one side of each slice of dry bread.
• Place one slice bread in ramekin, pesto side up, and sprinkle with 1 T cheese.
• Add 1/4 cup egg mixture to cover bread.
• Layer again with bread, cheese, and egg.
• For the third layer, place bread pesto side down and top with 1/4 cup egg.
• Place ramekins on baking sheet; weight down bread and let soak for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Remove weights and bake 30-40 minutes, until brown and puffed.
• Cool 5 minutes.
• Remove from ramekins.

EASY PESTO CHICKEN SKILLET

Steps:

• Season chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir for about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer chicken to a bowl and keep warm.
• Pour chicken broth into the skillet and add gemelli. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 8 minutes. Add broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely cooked, about 5 more minutes.
• Add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese, whipping cream, and pesto until combined. Return chicken to the skillet and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.