Balsamic Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Food

GOAT CHEESE AND SPINACH STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In small bowl, combine the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt., Cut a pocket horizontally in the thickest part of each chicken breast. Fill with spinach mixture; secure with toothpicks., In an 8-in. cast-iron or ovenproof skillet, heat 1-1/2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Brown chicken on each side. Place in oven; bake 10 minutes., Toss asparagus with remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; add to skillet. Bake until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165° and asparagus is tender, 10-15 minutes longer. If desired, drizzle with vinegar. Discard toothpicks before serving.

GOAT CHEESE AND HERB STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Using a paring knife, make an incision in the side of each chicken breast, passing the knife though horizontally to make a slit but not cutting through the other side of the breast. With the paring knife inserted, rotate the knife to carve out a bit more space and create a pocket. Season the outside and inside of the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Lightly beat the egg white in a bowl to break it up, then add the goat cheese, parsley, tarragon, shallots, mustard and lemon zest and mix until incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag (or piping bag). Snip off a corner of the plastic bag and pipe the mixture into each chicken breast until filled.
• Heat the oil in a large ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat until hot and glistening. Add the chicken breasts skin-side down and cook until the skin turns a dark golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the butter, garlic and thyme, then flip and transfer the pan to the oven; cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

BALSAMIC GOAT CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir shallot until translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour balsamic vinegar into skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until balsamic vinegar mixture is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Stir often.
• Cut chicken breasts from one side through the middle horizontally to within one-half inch of the other side. Open the two sides and spread them out like an open book.
• Spread half the goat cheese onto one half of each chicken breast and drizzle 1/3 of the reduced balsamic vinegar mixture over the goat cheese. Close the chicken breasts over the goat cheese and secure with toothpicks. Arrange chicken into a baking dish. Drizzle with remaining 1/3 of the balsamic reduction.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink inside, the filling is hot, and the juices run clear, 30 to 35 minutes. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of a filled breast should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE AND BASIL

Steps:

• For chicken:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Pound chicken between sheets of waxed paper to thickness of 1/4 inch using meat mallet. Pat chicken dry. Combine cheese, green onions and basil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spread cheese mixture lengthwise over half of each chicken piece. Tuck short ends in. Roll chicken up, starting at one long side, into tight cylinders. Tie ends with string to secure. Dip chicken in egg, allowing excess to drip into bowl. Roll in breadcrumbs, shaking off excess. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Refrigerate.)
• Place chicken in 8-inch square baking dish. Pour 2 tablespoons melted butter over. Bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• For sauce:
• Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add wine and boil 3 minutes. Add stock and boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and swirl in 4 tablespoons cold butter 1 piece at a time. Season sauce with salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove string from chicken. Cut rolls crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Fan on plates. Serve immediately, passing sauce separately.

CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large deep pot over medium-high heat, and saute the garlic, shallot, and thyme for 2 minutes, until softened.
• Add the spinach, and saute for 1 minute longer, until just wilted, but still bright green and not mushy.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and let cool enough to handle.
• Squeeze about half of the spinach dry using your hands; you should have a tennis ball size mass after squeezing.
• Refrigerate the remaining spinach for another use, and coarsely chop the squeezed ball of spinach.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spray an 8"x8" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a small bowl, mix the optional roasted red peppers with the olives, capers, optional walnuts, and balsamic vinegar.
• Combine this mixture with the softened goat cheese, and set aside.
• If desired, divided in quarters, and refrigerate until firm (recommended, but not required).
• Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and place breasts skin-side down on a flat surface.
• Spread about one quarter of the spinach mixture in the center of each pounded chicken breast.
• Evenly divide the goat cheese mixture among the chicken breasts, placing a piece in the center of each breast.
• Fold the sides of each breast up and around the filling to form a more or less ball shaped package, sealing the bottom of the chicken packages as well as possible without getting fanatical about it.
• Place the chicken in prepared baking pan, pretty side up.
• Brush with about half of the butter, and sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cover with aluminum foil, and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Turn oven to broil.
• Uncover chicken, brush with remaining butter, and sprinkle with a little optional paprika, if desired, and broil just until the chicken is nicely browned.
• Place the chicken on a serving platter and sprinkle with parsley if desired.
• Serve with brown rice and a spinach salad dressed with vinaigrette and homemade croutons.
• Serves 4.

GOAT CHEESE AND SUN DRIED TOMATO-STUFFED CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• 1. Lay chicken out on a work surface, season all over with salt and pepper. Arrange 1/4 cheese, 1 tomato, and 2 basil leaves over half each scallopini. Fold open ends over filling and secure each with a toothpick. Place flour in shallow plate with a lip, and dredge chicken. Transfer to a wax paper-lined plate.
• 2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Divide chicken among plates and discard oil.
• 3. Return skillet to high heat. Add vinegar, bring to a boil while scraping up any browned bits, and cook until syrupy. Add broth, bring to a boil, and cook until mixture reduces to a glaze. Remove skillet from heat and whisk in remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Pour glaze over chicken and serve.

CHERRY BALSAMIC BRAISED STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until cherries soften. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, fresh herbs and heavy cream to create an herbed goat cheese mixture; set aside as this will be stuffed inside the chicken breast.
• Prepare your chicken by creating a pocket for the stuffing. Using a sharp paring knife, make a slit into the side of the chicken breast, cutting along one edge of the chicken. The slit should be about 2-3 inches, depending on how large your chicken breasts are. To fill your chicken breasts, place 1/4 of the herbed goat cheese mixture inside the slit of each breast. Season the chicken breast with salt & pepper to taste and set aside.
• Prepare your skillet by heating up the oil and butter on high heat. Carefully place the chicken in the skillet and gently brown on all sides. Place the browned chicken in a baking dish and carefully pour the cherry balsamic braising sauce around the chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
• Plate chicken and pour glaze over each piece.