Grilled Chicken with Pesto & Marinated Tomatoes

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'  Jeremiah 29:11

This recipe is quick & easy but looks like a gourmet dish when you serve it.  Derek considers it one of the best chicken dishes I've made in a while.  Great flavor! 

4 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2/3 C. Pesto

3 T. fresh lemon juice

4 ripe plum tomatoes

3 T. olive oil

1.5 tsp. red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 generous tsp. Dijon mustard

2 T. Chopped fresh basil

Salt & Pepper

Pound the chicken breasts to flatten slightly to an even thickness.  Combine pesto with 2 T. Lemon juice and rub over the chicken.

Cut each tomato in half and gently remove the seeds with your finger.  Coarsely chop the tomatoes and put in a bowl.  In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, basil, remaining 1 T. lemon juice, 1 tsp. salt and generous amount of pepper.  Pour over the tomatoes and combine well.

Remove chicken from pesto, shaking to remove excess marinade.  Grill the chicken.  To serve, put chicken on plate and top with tomato mixture.

Serves 6

Tips:

You can prep all of this earlier in the day.  I even make the tomato mixture the night before if I need to.  Really good served over angel hair pasta.  If you do that, just top generously with the tomato mixture and juices.

One more note:  Sorry for the absence of a recipe last week!  We were actually robbed last sunday night. (Short version- our AC died, slept at my mom's, came home to a robbed house.)  We are FINE!  We know that in eternity NONE of that stuff will matter...even though I have to remind myself of that when I get a little sad about some missing home videos.  God was good to protect us and continue to fill our home, us and the kids with a spirit of peace rather than fear. (Rollins actually came to me a few minutes ago and said "Mommy, I think the robbers took my spiderman slippers" and I said "I think they may be in your closet."  To which he replied "Well, I was going to say that if they did take them, then I agree with that.  I did not want them anymore."  Too cute.)  So my week was consumed with the details of getting a new door figured out, insurance, forensics guys, etc. etc.  Quite exciting... and resulted in no cooking but pizza 3 nights for the family!