Pesto And Cheese-Filled Chicken Breasts Recipe - Cooking Index
Garden-fresh Thyme Pesto is the star of this elegant entree, but you can also use purchased or homemade basil pesto.
Type: Chicken, Poultry4 | Boned skinned chicken breasts | |
1/2 cup | 73g / 2.6oz | Soft fresh goat cheese |
= (such as Montrachet) | ||
1/3 cup | 78ml | Thyme Pesto - (see below) |
1 teaspoon | 5ml | Minced shallot or green onion |
2 tablespoons | 30ml | Olive oil |
Salt - to taste | ||
Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste | ||
All-purpose flour - as needed | ||
Thyme Pesto | ||
1 1/2 cups | 355ml | Fresh parsley - (loosely packed) |
1/2 cup | 20g / 0.7oz | Fresh thyme leaves - (loosely packed) |
= (or 1 tbspn dried thyme, crumbled, | ||
Plus 1/2 cup fresh parsley) | ||
1/2 cup | 118ml | Grated Parmesan - (abt 2 oz) |
1/2 cup | 118ml | Toasted pine nuts or walnuts |
2 | Garlic cloves | |
1/2 cup | 118ml | Olive oil |
Salt - to taste | ||
Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste |
For Cicken: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pound chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to thickness of 1/4 inch. Combine goat cheese, pesto and shallot in small bowl; mix well. Spread boned side of chicken breast with scant 2 tablespoons cheese mixture. Starting at one long side of chicken breast, roll up tightly, jelly roll style. Repeat with remaining chicken and cheese mixture.
Heat olive oil in heavy large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off excess. Fry chicken breast in olive oil until golden brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes.
Place skillet with chicken in oven and bake until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
For Pesto: Finely chop first 5 ingredients in processor. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup olive oil. Continue processing until pesto is almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Pesto can be prepared up to 1 week ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)
This recipe yields 4 servings.
Source:
Bon Appetit, July 1991
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