Chicken Breasts with Parsley-Caper Pesto

By Margannl

Cooking thin lemon slices mellows their bite and softens their rinds, so you can eat them whole or just squeeze their juice over the finished dish.

Ingredients

• 1 pound small red potatoes, halved
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lemon
• 2 cups fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (3 pounds total

Preparation

Step 1

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes.
Step 2

Meanwhile, peel 3 strips zest from lemon, then thinly slice lemon crosswise. In a food processor, puree lemon zest, parsley, walnuts, capers, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. With a paring knife, cut a 1-inch horizontal slit in thick end of each breast; using your fingers, create a deep pocket between meat and bone. Tightly pack each pocket with pesto. Spread more pesto under skin. Rub chicken with remaining teaspoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken and lemon slices to sheet. Roast until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are golden, 35 minutes more.