Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato
Description
Allow the chicken to “rest” loosely covered with foil for a few minutes after cooking, allowing the stuffing to become firm, and for juices to get absorbed back into the meat.
Ingredients
stuffing:
240 g soft goat’s milk cheese, room temperature
½ cup (125 ml) oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1/3 cup (75 ml) pine nuts, toasted
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh basil, finely chopped
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 6 oz/170 g each)
toothpicks
1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 cup (250 ml) Angelico’s Alfredo Sauce
fresh thyme to garnish
Methods/steps
- For the stuffing: combine the goat cheese, sun dried tomato, pine nuts and basil. Divide equally into 4 log-shaped portions.
- To assemble: preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Make a pocket into each chicken breast by inserting a sharp knife into the thick end of the breast and cutting length-wise as widely as possible, to form a pocket.
- Stuff each breast with ¼ of the reserved stuffing mixture, and enclose the stuffing completely, sealing the edges with toothpicks to prevent filling from melting out while cooking.
- Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Add stuffed chicken breasts, and cook for about 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally to brown evenly on all sides. Place the skillet in the oven and cook for about 12-15 more minutes, or until the meat is tender and is no longer pink inside.
- Remove chicken from oven and transfer to a warm plate and tent with foil. Remove any excess oil from the pan and use it to heat the Angelico’s Alfredo Sauce, scraping in any browned bits and reducing until thickened slightly. Serve each stuffed breast individually plated and sliced, sprinkled with fresh thyme and drizzled with sauce, along with a crisp salad.