PESTO STUFFED CHICKEN WITH TOMATO, CAPER & OLIVE RELISH
Chicken breasts strut their stuff accessorized with this refreshing — and addictive — relish served at Brookhaven Country Club near Dallas.

6 chicken breasts with skin and ribs attached
1 cup high-quality, store-bought basil pesto
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Tomato, Olive & Caper Relish (recipe follows)
basil leaves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With fingers, gently loosen the skin from the meat of each chicken breast in order to form a pocket. Spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto evenly under the skin of each breast. Place chicken in a large, high-rimmed baking dish and sprinkle chicken generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Brush the tops and bottoms of each breast with the additional pesto and drizzle with olive oil. Bake uncovered with skin side up for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Serve each chicken breast with a neat spoonful of relish; garnish with a few basil leaves.

Yield: 6 servings.

TOMATO, OLIVE & CAPER RELISH
1-1/2 cups small grape cherry tomatoes, sliced in half; or 4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and diced
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley and basil combined, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and gently fold until well incorporated. Marinate at room temperature covered for at least two hours before serving with chicken.