2 large garlic cloves, finely minced/grated/pressed However, now that I have such excellent kitchen skillz, I cringe whenever I think about the aforementioned meal. This recipe is stuffed with pesto & cheese & served with zucchini & tomatoes! Make sure to salt the water before adding the pasta, use about 1 tablespoon of salt. Greetings, friends! 4 medium bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts The salad was fine, I guess. So stay awhile...I hope you're hungry! I'm Jessica Erin and I am the recipe developer, photographer, and writer behind stuckonsweet.com! I’m Serena: healthy(ish) chef, author, beauty & wellness junkie, and easy laugh. “Date night,” we called it. Slice the tomatoes length … I like to cut thicker chicken breasts in half so I get two thin slices. (If you’re nervous about your stuffing job, you can always use a toothpick or two to hold the chicken together. It arguably deserves its own post, but I chose to settle for a glamour shot and a couple paragraphs of shameless gushing. Oh, and this cheese-less pesto is proudly vegan, so if you happen to be a vegan reading a chicken post (I love you), I highly suggest putting this pesto on everything from salads and grilled vegetables to tofu and toast. The chicken takes 15 minutes (tops) to perfectly stuff, and it can easily be prepped up to a day in advance. Having been traveling for the past several months (ahhh the “soul searching” phase) and staying with my mother during my pit stops, I was very impressed by Maisie’s living situation. Design by Shay Bocks, Basil and Goat Cheese Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes and Chicken, « White Chocolate Almond Cranberry Cookies. 4 ounces soft goat cheese Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Rustic Basil Pesto, toasted and finely chopped (you can also use almonds or pistachios if you prefer), plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, Balsamic Roast Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms, Chicken Paillard with Arugula and Watermelon Salad, "Chicken Club" Salad with Kale, Avocado and Dijon-Buttermilk Dressing. Loosen the skin from each breast by running your finger underneath it. I’ve been patiently waiting for the appropriate time to use that phrase, and that time is now, dammit. Sheet pan chicken is an easy one pan dish that takes under an hour to make. Taste and season with a little bit of salt if necessary. The goat cheese itself is seasoned with an unbeatable combination of garlic, fresh basil and little bit of lemon, giving each tender bite of chicken a tangy, herby goodness that will probably blow your mind. With the food processor on, slowly drizzle the olive oil in until pesto forms. pot of cooked pasta, add the cooked chicken and vegetables, goat cheese, and half the reserved pasta cooking water. (If you’re scared of undercooking, whip out your handy meat thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the breast and make sure that it read 165 degrees F.). You’ll also need enough pizza dough – store bought or from scratch – to make two pizzas, a little sugar, some olive oil, … She had a decently sized room in a pretty kickass townhouse in Logan Circle, and despite the fact that her roommates were strangers on the more socially awkward end of the spectrum, it just felt grown-up. Be careful here peeps, you want to make sure the skin stays connected at the edges. -Finely chop pine nuts and place them in a medium bowl. What a great recipe! -Now it’s time to stuff these breasts. I know you may be nervous about stuffing chicken, but it’s not nearly as gross and scary as you think. 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice So happy that you found the blog, and even more excited to hear that the chicken was a success! You’re so domestic!” and, “This is so fancy!”  Based on these compliments and our hangovers, Maisie and I deemed the party a raging success. Do NOT go all the way through the breast, capiche? https://www.stuckonsweet.com/basil-and-goat-cheese-pesto-pasta-with Place two thin slices of lemon on top of each breast and bake for 30 minutes until the skin is lightly browned and the chicken is cooked through. “ While this may sound characteristic given my current Martha Stewart-esque qualities, the urge to throw a dinner party was rather shocking at the time. (I know that sounds gross.). No, this wasn’t based on Ina’s, but I love that this is what she made for you on that episode. Spoon a tablespoon of goat cheese into the slit of each chicken breast, pushing it as deep as possible. Despite our lack of cooking experience, Maisie and I decided to go for it. Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Rustic Basil Pesto: (Serves 4). Chopping instead of pureeing the ingredients gives it a “rustic” vibe and adds an awesome nutty crunch to each glorious bite. Hello! Close the slit over the cheese with your fingers. Our pathetic feast was served at least an hour behind schedule, which was unintentionally genius, as most of our guests were happily browned out by that point. ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes And as it turns out, Bjork actually knows how to cook with the help of a few recipe tutorials, and I actually can and will shovel snow at neck-breaking speed (MY NECK THO), and most importantly: we both die for pasta with goat cheese and mushrooms. Top each plate with chicken breast and a lemon wedge. Let’s talk about my first post-college dinner party. xxx, AHHAHA fat guy in a little coat, I can visualize that situation perfectly (because I have experienced it multiple times). When hot, add the pine nuts and toast for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant. I have a reputation to uphold. ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ½ lemon, thinly sliced This pasta would go great with an easy side salad or som… In addition to crushing it on the flavor front, this chicken is also very sexy looking and remarkably versatile. However, because the sauce is creamy and delicious, I use pasta that has a lot of surface area (like rotini) or is in a tube shape (like penne) so that you can get as much of the sauce as possible in each bite. Honestly, these goat cheese stuffed chicken breasts deserve tears, chicken dancing, and perhaps a standing ovation of some sort. In a separate small mixing bowl, add the goat cheese, milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water. (Cleaning the food processor is the bane of my existence, so I may just go on making “rustic” pestos/sauces/etc for all eternity.) “I love compliments” chicken. -Serve your goat cheese stuffed chicken breasts topped with rustic basil pesto and graciously accept compliments on your very fancy culinary skills. Get new recipes and lifestyle tips delivered straight to your inbox. Read about my affiliate policy. New here today via a Pinterest pin – we made this for dinner with a modification or two because we were looking to make dinner from just what was on hand. -Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. You will find a little of everything including healthy meals, comfort food, and my favorite - sweets. Spoon a second tablespoon of goat cheese under the skin of each chicken breast, and smooth the skin over the top. First of all, there’s no food processor or blender action required, which is awesome because a.) Cook the chicken in a saute pan or skillet until no longer pink, about 3 minutes per side at medium-high heat for thinly sliced chicken breasts. Close the slit over the cheese with your fingers. It was the winter of 2010, and I was visiting my friend Maisie in DC. Done. You do you. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Slice the tomatoes length-wise and distribute evenly in the pan. This is a personal preference and I often use whatever is on hand. (Just follow the unappealing fabulous raw chicken tutorial below!) 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice While your chicken is in the oven, prepare your rustic pesto. Taste and season with a little bit of salt if necessary. Do NOT go all the way through the breast, capiche? Spoon the pesto over the chicken and use the spoon to spread it over all of the chicken. Please check your entries and try again. What I love most about this heavenly condiment is the texture.