Saturday, August 28, 2010

Eggplant Pesto Parmesan with Grilled Rottiserie Chicken

As August comes to a close, many of us are enjoying the harvest from our summer gardens.

My friend Janet gave me this lovely eggplant from her garden.
It's a Saturday night, and I wanted to make an easy, summery meal using the eggplant and the store-bought rotisserie chicken I had in the fridge.

 

My favorite way to cook one of these simple chickens in the summer is on the grill!
Delicious grilled flavor, crispy skin with no hassle, mess or clean-up.

Heat your grill to medium.

Turn the chicken over on the cutting board and using a large knife, cut through the ribs down the middle.



Pull the two sides apart and lay the chicken flat like this:


Place on hot grill, cut side down and shut the grill lid. Now, it's simply baking in a grill oven.
Just leave it while you prepare the eggplant.

Check every so often. If the skin looks crispy, lower the heat

Now make this delectable side dish:

Eggplant Pesto Parmesan
1 lg. eggplant sliced
Pesto (try my recipe for fresh pesto or buy a tub in the produce section by the refrigerator pastas)
Sm. jar of Ragu Spaghetti Sauce (I like extra chunky tomato, garlic and onion)
Shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
Kraft Parmesan Cheese (In the green canister)

Start by slicing the eggplant into half inch thick slices.


Brush each slice with olive oil on both sides.


Salt and pepper to taste.
Pour some Kraft Parmesan Cheese onto a plate.
Dredge each oiled slice through the cheese to coat both sides.

 

Heat a large fry pan to med/high. I don't add oil since the eggplant is already coated in olive oil.
Place the cheesy slices in the heated pan and cook until the cheese is golden and crispy.


Cover a large cookie sheet with foil and lightly spray with Pam or use no-stick foil.
Lay out the crispy slices and spread with Pesto.


Now add a spoonful of spaghetti sauce and spread over each slice.


Sprinkle each slice with shredded mozzarella cheese and broil until the cheese is golden and bubbly.


The grilled chicken and Eggplant Pesto Parmesan make a speedy and spectacular
summer supper.

2 comments:

  1. Gosh! You are so cruel, to your blogger friend Jill. (lol) I promised to diet and here I am looking at your blog. Preparing my favoite chicken dish!!!

    Love your new blog! ♥ Hats off for you!:)

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  2. Oh I love this!!! I like eggplants! I've never had this! I would definitely try it!

    ReplyDelete