Baked Pesto Chicken

** Recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen **

* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* salt & fresh ground black pepper for seasoning chicken
* 1/2 c. basil pesto (homemade or store bought)
* 2 oz. (1/2 c.) grated low-fat mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 375. Trim all visible fat and tendons from chicken pieces, then cut each chicken breast lengthwise into 2-3 pieces.  Spray a 9" x 12" (or 8.5" X 12.5") baking dish with non-stick spray, then spread 1/4 c. basil pesto over the bottom of the dish. Lay chicken strips over the pesto, then spread 1/4 c. more basil pesto over the chicken.  Cover the baking dish with foil (or use a baking dish with a tight-fitting lid) and bake the chicken for 25-30 min, just until chicken is barely firm & cooked through. (Don't cook too much at this point, or the chicken will be overcooked by the time the cheese is melted and browned.)

When chicken is barely cooked through, remove foil and sprinkle chicken with 1/2 c. grated mozzarella cheese. Put dish back into the oven without foil and cook 5 min. more, just until cheese is melted. (If your broiler is separate from the oven, start preheating it when you take the chicken out.) **Tip:  After melting the cheese for 5 min, switch oven to broil & broil for 5 min. more, just long enough to get the cheese lightly browned.  Serve hot. There will be some flavorful juice in the bottom of the dish when this is done, so you may want to serve with rice, couscous, or quinoa to soak up the juice, or just spoon the juice over the chicken.