Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Olives and Goat Cheese

Name: Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Olives and Goat Cheese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 46 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 3 ounces fresh goat cheese; 1 tablespoon milk; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley; 1 pinch crumbled dried oregano; 1 pinch dried chili pepper flakes; 1 tablespoon chopped kalamata olives or 1 tablespoon other good-quality black olives; salt & freshly ground black pepper; 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz. each); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 cup dry white wine (or serve with SMOKED CHILE-CILANTRO SAUCE); 2 poblano peppers, Roasted, peeled and seeded; 1/4 cup red onion, coarsely chopped; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 3/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup spinach leaves; 1/4 cup cilantro leaf; 2 teaspoons honey; salt & freshly ground black pepper

Submitted by BonnieZ

"Stuffing chicken breasts with a tangy cheese mixture is a great way to add flavor. And it couldn't be easier: simply mix together a few ingredients, slit the chicken breasts, push the filling in with your fingers, and saute. To meet the challenge of keeping chicken breast moist, this recipe uses a technique called pan-steaming. After browning one side of the chicken breasts, I turn them over and rest a pot lid that fits inside the frying pan right on top of the chicken. The lid prevents the steam from evaporating completely, keeping the chicken moist, yet because I'm not covering the entire pan, the chicken continues to brown rather than steam. The chicken can be served either with a reduced pan sauce or a ROASTED CHILE-CILANTRO SAUCE. This recipe is fun to play with. Try sun-dried tomatoes added to (or in place of) the olives. In the summer, flavor the goat cheese with fresh herbs such as basil, chives, and mint."

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Ready In:: 46mins
Ingredients:: 19
Serves:: 4

ingredients

3 ounces fresh goat cheese
1 tablespoon milk
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
1 pinch crumbled dried oregano
1 pinch dried chili pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped kalamata olives or 1 tablespoon other good-quality black olives
salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz. each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
¹⁄₂ cup dry white wine (or serve with SMOKED CHILE-CILANTRO SAUCE)
ROASTED CHILE-CILANTRO SAUCE
2 poblano peppers, Roasted, peeled and seeded
¹⁄₄ cup red onion, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
³⁄₄ cup olive oil
¹⁄₄ cup spinach leaves
¹⁄₄ cup cilantro leaf
2 teaspoons honey
salt & freshly ground black pepper

directions

In a small bowl, mash the goat cheese and milk together until smooth.
Mix in the garlic, parsley, oregano, and chile flakes.
Stir in the olives and season with salt and pepper.
On the thickest side of each breast, cut a deep, 3-inch-long pocket.
Using your fingers, stuff the goat cheese mixture into each pocket.
Close by pressing the flesh together, securing with a toothpick if necessary.
In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Have ready a lid that's too small for the pan but will cover all the breasts.
Cook the chicken on one side until golden brown, 5 to 6 minute Turn the breasts over, season with salt and pepper, and set the small lid on top of them.
Continue to sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about another 10 minute Transfer the chicken to a warm serving plate.
Pour the wine into the pan and cook, scraping up the flavorful brown bits stuck to the pan, until it's reduced to a glossy syrup.
Drizzle the reduction over the chicken and serve.
If you choose to serve with the ROASTED CHILE-CILANTRO SAUCE: In a blender or food processor, combine the poblanos, onion and lime juice and blend until smooth.
While the blender is running, add the oil slowly until emulsified.
Add the spinach and cilantro and blend until smooth.
Add the honey and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve at room temperature.

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Reviews

We enjoyed this chicken dish and served it with the roasted chile cilantro sauce. The sauce is very good. It is more like a salsa. However, it was hard to taste the goat cheese once the sauce was on the chicken. This was an easy dish to make and plated well. Thanks!

Dr. Jenny
Delicious! Fairly easy to make and the Chile Cilantro Sauce goes perfectly with the taste of the goat cheese. definitely one of my favorte recipes!

Jennapeed
WOW! Now it's my turn to write a near-manic review for this recipe. I made this recipe exact but added additional red-pepper flakes since we like the additional heat. I made the wine syyrup but also served the chicken with this AMAZING SAUCE! My DH called this dish "awesome" and ate 3 servings sopping up all the sauce with slices of rustic loaf. I have extra sauce and would love some ideas on what to do with the remaining sauce.

miss_treated1
Made this with half the chicken and all the sauce per Shelly's near-manic review. She's right, the sauce is terrific. I served it with some freshly made French bread for sopping. I'm almost giddy with the possibilities for the leftovers. Oh, the chicken's nice, too. That goat cheese stuffing would be great for filling ravioli. Ouuuuuu - you could serve the pasta with the sauce - oh, my.

sugarpea
This is an elegant chicken dish with a tangy and robust filling -- definitely fit for company. I simply love its simplicity. But the crowning glory of this chicken dish is the sauce. OMG the sauce. I swear it tastes of guacamole without any avocado in it -- it is amazing that way. I found myself using the leftover sauce in various ways and it worked every single time and I've simply become a slave to the perfection that is this sauce. For example, I would tie my grandma's shoelaces together when she wasn't looking if it would help me get to the sauce before her -- I'm evil that way ;).

Shelly