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Pesto Chicken Casserole

This serves 3 people but if you have 5 (with leftovers) or 6, then double the ingredients

Ingredients:

1½ lbs skinless chicken thighs
3 oz. green pesto
2 oz. butter or olive oil
1½ cups half & half
8 tablespoons pitted olives (mix of klamata and large green), cut the green olives in half
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled or diced
1 cup chicken stock
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Pepper and smoky paprika
Ashes from one joint

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Trim the excess fat off the chicken thighs. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Season with pepper and smoky paprika (the feta and the olives add a lot of salt, so only add more if you are sure).
Add butter or oil to a large skillet and fry the chicken pieces. Sear them in batches on both sides on medium heat until each side browns.
Mix pesto, chicken stock and half & half in a bowl.
Place the browned chicken pieces in a casserole dish together with the olives, feta cheese and garlic. Add the pesto mixture.
Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, until the dish turns bubbly and starts to brown a bit around the edges.

Works very well with white rice served under the casserole in a bowl. If you are not serving with rice, think about not adding the cup of chicken stock. Also, you can substitute roasted red pepper pesto instead of a green pesto.

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