Chicken - Chicken - Chicken

Apparently I've been overdoing it on the chicken lately because my family is starting to protest.  (They're not hesitant about letting me know when I cook too much of something.)  They told someone recently that our weekly menu consists of "chicken, chicken, chicken, fish, chicken, chicken, chicken."  OK point taken - I need to change up my menu and make something different.  It's just that I love chicken and I cook it so many different ways that I never get tired of it.  Unfortunately that's not true for the rest of my family.  They will be happy to know that last night's chicken dinner will be the last time they're served chicken for the rest of the week. 

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 Tablespoons fresh spinach, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup toasted walnuts

4 chicken breasts

salt and pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

juice from 1 Meyer Lemon

1/4 cup white wine

1 Tablespoon heavy cream

Toast walnuts on a baking sheet for 6 minutes at 350.  

Combine goat cheese, lemon zest, spinach, garlic and 1/2 of the walnuts.  

Cut a pocket in each chicken breast.  Divide the filling into quarters and stuff into the pocket of each chicken breast.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  

 

Heat olive oil in skillet.  Add chicken and brown on each side.  

Transfer chicken to a baking dish and bake 20 minutes at 350.  

 

Add butter to skillet and melt.  Add wine and scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan.  Bring to a simmer and reduce to a thick sauce.  Stir in lemon juice and heavy cream.  Whisk to combine.

  Sprinkle cooked chicken breasts with remaining walnuts and serve with pan sauce. 

If you're not a goat cheese fan you can substitute feta or cream cheese.  This stuffed chicken breast is elegant enough for a dinner party and simple enough for a weeknight meal.  How could anyone get tired of chicken?

Ciao!

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 Tablespoons fresh spinach, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup toasted walnuts

4 chicken breasts

salt and pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

juice from 1 Meyer Lemon

1/4 cup white wine

1 Tablespoon heavy cream

Toast walnuts on a baking sheet for 6 minutes at 350.  Cool.  Combine goat cheese, lemon zest, spinach, garlic and 1/2 of the walnuts.  Cut a pocket in each chicken breast.  Divide the filling into quarters and stuff into the pocket of each chicken breast.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil in skillet.  Add chicken and brown on each side.  Transfer chicken to a baking dish and bake 20 minutes at 350.  Add butter to skillet and melt.  Add wine and scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan.  Bring to a simmer and reduce to a thick sauce.  Stir in lemon juice and heavy cream.  Whisk to combine.  Sprinkle cooked chicken breasts with remaining walnuts and serve with pan sauce.