jalapeño tomato mozzarella chicken bake.

i made this recipe up the other day when i hadn't gone grocery shopping and just knew that i had chicken in the freezer that i could defrost. back in the day i would have just popped a giant bowl of popcorn and cracked a bottle of wine and called it a day, but i have another human being to feed now who can't even eat popcorn OR drink wine, so i had to cook.i kind of like being forced to always have a real dinner, it does wonders for my self-esteem and my nutrition. and it helps me get a little creative in the kitchen too. we tend to get in a little bit of a rut, especially in the summer when you don't want to cook anything. which is a damn shame because our precious tomatoes and peppers shouldn't have to give their lives for boring meals. i'm not saying that this meal is revolutionary, but it makes me feel all rachael ray-like, whipping a meal up out of nothing but my brains and basic knowledge of how to work an oven. plus, something about cooking like this for my family is like giving them a big hug and saying i love you, but with baked chicken. that's weird, right? oh well, it's how i feel.this recipe can be adjusted to accommodate whatever you have in your house, it's kind of a garbage pail recipe if you will. you could replace the salsa verde with pesto, or with regular salsa. you could omit the jalapeños and add bell peppers or zucchini. use whatever product you have languishing in your fridge or on your counter and get creative.jalapeño tomato mozzarella chicken bake 

• 3 whole chicken breasts
• 1-2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 3/4 C. salsa verde, more to taste depending on the size of your chicken
• 1 small jalapeño, sliced
• 1 medium tomato, sliced
• 1/2 to 1 C. shredded cheese (i used mozzarella but this would be great with most types)
• garlic salt to taste

preheat oven to 400 F and line a square baking dish with tinfoil. lay the chicken on the baking dish, and spread each with an equal amount of mayonnaise. pour salsa verde over the chicken. lay jalapeño slices on top of each chicken breast, followed by tomato slices. top the whole thing with shredded cheese and garlic salt (if desired). bake for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. serve with rice or quinoa and some veggies for a quick weeknight meal!

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