Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Tomatoes

Inspired by a recipe found here.




















Salad, salad, salad. You are healthy, crispy, and refreshing on a warm day. Yet you can also be bland, sad, and a chore to eat. I like you and I also don't.  If you find yourself falling into a salad rut, this simple pesto chicken stuffed tomato salad may just put the wind back into your rabbit-food-eating sails. It's not only a beautiful display appropriate for luncheons with the ladies, light dinners, or brunches, but it's also a dish packed with pesto flavor, substance, and will leave you feeling full, but not TOO full (which is something I dislike nearly as much as hunger.) The recipe can easily be changed to create a beautiful appetizer using a plum, cherry, or even grape tomato. It's a great summer meal and a delightful way to use those bounties of tomatoes you may be collecting in your garden.

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Tomatoes

by Simply Shlee

Keywords: appetizer entree salad chicken pesto tomato spring summer

Ingredients (Serves 4)

  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup pesto
  • 1 tbsp. mayo
  • 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
  • 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
  • 1/8 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
  • 3 cups mixed greens, salad mix, etc.

Instructions

Remove "ugly" part (the stem area) of each of the tomatoes using a sharp knife. Be careful not to pierce the opposite end of the tomatoes since creating a bowl shape is the ultimate goal. Using a spoon, remove seeds and cores of tomatoes. Place tomatoes, cut side down, on a plate lined with a cloth and chill, up to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss chopped chicken with pesto, mayo, red peppers, and olives. Cover and chill.

When ready to serve, divide salad greens among four plates. Fill tomatoes with chicken salad and place on bed of greens.

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