~Arugula Pistachio Pesto Chicken~

Well even though this took some time and some lovin', this was an absolutely delicious meal! I have never before had a pesto whole baked chicken, and it was quite refreshing. I have had baked whole chicken about a thousand times in my life, but this was a first for me. If you like experimenting with new pestos, you will love this recipe! This recipe probably takes more time than others I have tried, but it's worth it and easy to do--I promise.

So these pictures make the gravy look like something super unappealing; however, pesto gravy is actually amazing and a fresh way to serve mashed potatoes and gravy. Fear not--the gravy is a light green! I found this recipe from Guy on the Food Network (you know...the guy with really ugly hair).

You'll need a food processor or a blender to make the pesto. The combination of the pistachio, lemon juice, and arugula makes the kitchen smell fantastic.

Once the pesto is made, you create a pocket underneath the skin of the chicken breast side and stuff the skin with half of the pesto, some chunks of lemon and some cloves of garlic.

Cook the chicken on its side for 15 minutes; then flip it onto the other side and cook for another 15 minutes.

Supermom and I made this together for my birthday dinner!

Once the chicken is cooked and has cooled for a few minutes, cut it into pieces. Make sure to leave the skins on. They taste wonderful!

Have you ever heard of pesto gravy? I surely hadn't before this recipe. Pesto gravy is to die for--seriously! It's such a different and refreshing taste than what you normally have with chicken and mashed potatoes.

Voila! Finished product. Special thanks to my beautiful sis-in-law Kelli for recommending this recipe. I think you're gonna like this. Let me know if you try it. Don't be afraid to try something new!

Serves 6

You'll need:

3 1/2 to 4 lb. whole chicken

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided

5 c. arugula

7 cloves garlic, peeled and divided

1 lemon, halved

1/2 c. grated Parmesan

1/2 c. shelled pistachios

3 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. butter

3/4 tsp. cornstarch

3/4 . half & half

Get busy:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Slip your fingers under the breast skin and gently create a pocket the length of both breasts. Season the inside of the cavity with some salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add the arugula and 5 cloves of garlic to a food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse 3 to 4 times, then add 1/2 tsp. pepper and 1/2 tsp. salt, squeeze in the juice of half of the lemon and pulse a few more times. Add the cheese and pistachios, and with the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides and pulse a few more times.

Gently work half the pesto into the skin pocket. Reserve the other half of the pesto. Put the other lemon half into the cavity along with the other 2 garlic cloves. Rub the chicken all over with 1 Tbs. butter. Season the outside chicken with salt and pepper. Put the chicken on its side into a roasting pan and put in the oven. Roast at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, rotate chicken onto the other side, and roast for 15 more minutes. Carefully turn chicken onto its back (breast side up), reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, begin basting it with the pan juices. (If you don't have much juice, add some water to the pan). Repeat until thermometer reads 165 degrees.

Remove roasting pan from the oven, put the chicken on a carving board and tent it with foil. Pour the juices from the roasting pan into a small pot. Make sure to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan for more flavor. Over medium heat, cook pan juices and 1/3 c. reserved pesto. Whisk cornstarch and half & half in the pot and stir continually until gravy thickens. Adjust with seasoning if necessary and pour into your gravy bowl. Carve the chicken, place on serving platter, and serve with pesto gravy.