Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Goat Cheese And Arugula Food

GOAT CHEESE-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• With a chicken breast flat on a cutting board, using a sharp knife, about 1/3 of the way down the thick side, cut a deep pocket horizontally into the center of the meat about 3/4 of the way down, being careful not to cut through to the other side. (The pocket will be about 2 1/2 inches long and 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep.) Repeat with the remaining breasts. Wash hands well.
• In a small bowl, mash together the goat cheese, butter, chives, parsley, thyme, lemon juice and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide into 4 equal pieces and form plugs to fit inside the chicken breasts. Insert 1 into each breast and press the edges of chicken meat to seal. Lightly season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• In a large shallow bowl, combine the flour and the Essence. In another bowl, beat the egg with the water.
• One at a time, lightly dust the chicken on both sides with the flour, then dip in the egg, shaking to remove any excess. Place again in the flour and turn to completely coat, shaking to remove any excess. Set aside.
• In a large, oven-proof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven. Arrange the risotto in the center of 4 plates and place the chicken to the side. Arrange the carrots along the bottom of the plates, and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to very low to keep hot.
• In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil and melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring until fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until wilted and their liquid is evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the grains are opaque, about 1 minute. Stir in the thyme. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until nearly all evaporated. Add 3/4 cup of the stock, the salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the stock is nearly all evaporated. Continue adding more stock 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is nearly absorbed, until the rice is tender and the risotto is creamy, 18 to 20 minutes. Stir in cream, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and the parsley and mix well.
• Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste. If desired, stir in truffle oil to taste.
• Serve immediately, topping each portion with a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and ham.
• In a large stockpot, combine all the ingredients and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours, skimming the surface occasionally to remove any foam that forms on the surface.
• Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. (If necessary, strain again.) Remove the meat from the bones and reserve for another use. Discard the bones and vegetables. Let the stock cool completely, and refrigerate overnight. Skim any fat that forms on the surface. Keep refrigerated in airtight containers until ready to use, up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• On a cutting board, using a sharp, heavy knife, cut the carrots in half crosswise, then in half lengthwise. With the flat edge down, cut into thin slices. Place the slices in a stack and slice into even matchstick pieces. (If a fine dice is required, these pieces in turn are chopped into equal small cubes.)
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the carrots and blanch until just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and shock in the prepared ice bath to stop cooking and preserve color.
• When ready to serve the carrots, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. When foamy, add the carrots and cook, stirring, until warmed through and glossy, about 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

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.

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 ARUGULA

Steps:

• Combine cheese and garlic in a small cup. Trim excess fat from chicken; season with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each breast to form a deep pocket. Stuff each pocket with an equal amount of cheese mixture and arugula. Press edges of chicken together to seal.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken, 4 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium; add broth to pan. Cover and simmer, about 6 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately, discarding any remaining broth.

CRISPY CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH MUSHROOMS AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• For the chicken: Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, toss in the shallots, season with salt and bring the pan to a medium-high heat. Cook the shallots for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Toss the chicken livers into the pan, stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Toss in the mushrooms, stir to combine and season with salt. Cook the mushrooms until they are soft and wilted, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushroom mixture is almost dry. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Transfer the cooled mushroom mixture to a medium bowl, add the goat cheese and chives and mix until it is a homogeneous mixture. Put the mushroom mixture in a disposable piping bag and reserve.
• Using a paring knife or boning knife, make an incision in the thick end of each chicken breast. Insert the knife all the way into the chicken breast and slide it back and forth to create a pocket. Try not to poke the knife through the top or bottom of the chicken.
• Squeeze the mushroom filling into each chicken breast.
• In 3 separate wide, shallow containers, set up a standard breading procedure: one container of flour, one with the beaten egg mixture and one with the panko.
• Season the chicken breasts with salt. Using one hand for wet things and one hand for dry things, dredge each chicken breast in the flour. Dip in the egg wash and then pack panko onto each chicken breast. Lay the chicken breasts on a sheet tray and let them rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Set up a tray lined with paper towels. Take the chicken breasts out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring the pan to a medium-high heat. Work in batches if all the chicken breasts do not fit in the pan at the same time. Cook the chicken until well browned on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove the browned chicken and blot it on the paper towels; season with salt immediately. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
• When all the chicken has been browned and blotted, place the chicken breasts on a wire rack set over a sheet tray and continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes more in the oven.
• For the sauce: Meanwhile, ditch the fat from the pan and add the wine. Reduce the wine by half. Add half the chicken stock and reduce that by half. Add the remaining chicken stock and reduce that by half also (this will take a little time so be patient).
• Taste the reduced stock and season with salt if needed. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the butter.
• Plate the chicken and spoon the pan sauce over the chicken.

CHICKEN ROLL-UPS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper.
• On a clean work surface, lay cutlets flat (smooth sides down).
• Dividing ingredients evenly, layer each cutlet with arugula; top with crumbled goat cheese in the center.
• Starting with the narrow end, roll up chicken tightly; seal with a toothpick.
• In a large nonstick ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
• Place chicken in pan, seam side down, and cook until until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Turn chicken over.
• Transfer skillet to oven. Cook until chicken is opaque throughout, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove toothpicks, and slice chicken crosswise before serving, if desired.

GOAT CHEESE AND HERB-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Divide the chicken breasts in half, removing the cartilage. Loosen the skin from the meat by running a finger underneath the skin.
• Combine the goat cheese, herbs, garlic and pepper.
• Place a generous tablespoon of the cheese mixture between the skin and the meat of each breast. Replace the skin over the cheese and tuck all the edges of the meat and skin under to form a neat package. Arrange the breasts in a large roasting pan.
• Brush the chicken with the olive oil.
• Roast for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a warm platter.
• Pour off the fat from the roasting pan. Place the pan over medium-high heat. Add the wine and deglaze, scraping up bits of cheese and blending with the wine. Serve the chicken with this sauce on the side.

ASPARAGUS-STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST

Steps:

• Prepare filling: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until tender and translucent, about 6 minutes; be careful not to brown them. Stir in asparagus and garlic; cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool, about 5 minutes.
• Add goat cheese, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to the cooled shallots and mix to combine.
• Prepare chicken: Slice horizontally through each chicken breast, starting at the thinner edge and going 2/3 of the way through so they can open like a book.
• Spread 1/4 of the filling over the inside of each breast, leaving a 1/2-inch border uncovered. Close breasts to enclose the filling and secure with a toothpick if desired. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper over the breasts.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a large, oven-proof, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange seasoned chicken, skin-side down, in the hot pan. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Gently turn and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from the oven and transfer to a platter to keep warm.
• Add butter to the same skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook until tender but not browned, about 6 minutes. Pour wine and chicken broth into the pan and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat and maintain a simmer for 3 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks with remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour about 1/4 cup of the hot sauce into the egg yolk mixture and whisk quickly to combine. Add egg yolk mixture to the skillet, whisking continuously without letting it boil. Cook until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Stir in parsley and tarragon.
• Serve warm sauce over chicken.