Chicken Breast Stuffed With Blue Cheese And Apricot Recipes

BLUE CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425.
• Combine 1 tablespoons butter, thyme, and blue cheese in small bowl until blended. Season with salt & pepper and set aside.
• Cut a horizontal line in the thickest side of each chicken breast to form a pocket, but not cutting all the way through.
• Stuff blue cheese mixture into pocket with small spoon.
• Place chicken in a baking dish. Season with salt & pepper. Bake 15 minutes, uncovered.
• Meanwhile melt remaining 1 tablespoons butter; stir in lemon juice and paprika. Turn chicken, brush with lemon mixture and bake additional 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (use thermometer in unstuffed area).

CHICKEN BREAST STUFFED WITH BLUE CHEESE AND APRICOT

Steps:

• Pound the chicken breasts until thin and even. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on both sides.
• Place 1/2 and ounce of the blue cheese in the center of each chicken breast and top with 1 T. of the apricot preserves.
• Cut 6 of the dried apricots in half and place 3 slices in the middle of each chicken breast.
• Roll the breasts closed and secure with toothpicks or butchers twine. (I used butchers twine, it's a lot easier.
• Mix the bread crumbs, flour, oregano, rosemary and thyme together in a bowl, then moisten each chicken breast with a little water and roll in the bread crumb mixture. There's no need to completely coat the chicken breast, just a light dusting will do, unless you desire a heavier crust.
• Place chicken breasts in a baking dish and drizzle a small amount of honey on top of each breast. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes.
• After you take the chicken breast out of the oven, allow it to sit for 10 minutes or so for the blue cheese and apricot mixture to firm up a little.
• Meanwhile, chop the remaining dried apricots into small pieces and place in a small sauté pan with the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once it boils, add the butter and then allow the mixture to reduce to half. When serving the chicken breasts, pour a little of the mixture on top of each.

BACON AND BLUE CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, using a rubber spatula, mix the butter, blue cheese, bacon, and chives together until combined. Dollop half of the compound butter along the long edge of a 12-inch piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll into a log, twisting opposite ways on both ends of the paper to create a tightly wrapped log of butter. Refrigerate or freeze for another use.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from chicken breasts. Stuff about 1/4 of the remaining blue cheese butter under the skin of each breast; smoothing the skin to evenly distribute the butter over the surface of the breast meat.
• Put the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and rub any remaining butter over the skin. Season each breast with just a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
• Roast the chicken breasts, skin sides up, in the center of the oven until skin is crisped and chicken is cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should register 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat. Remove from the oven to a serving platter. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
• Cook's Note: This recipe makes 2 logs of compound butter; unused butter can be used to top grilled meats, burgers, or baked or mashed potatoes.

GOAT CHEESE, APRICOT, AND SAGE-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a medium-size saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Don't let the onions and garlic brown. Next, add the chopped sage and salt and pepper to taste, and cook until the onions are translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the apricots and cook until heated through, 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Thoroughly mix in the goat cheese and set aside. (This can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before stuffing the chicken breasts.)
• Place each chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. With a kitchen mallet, a cleaver, or a heavy tin can, such as a can of tomatoes, pound the breasts until they are between 1/8 and 1/4-inch thick. (They will not roll easily if they are too thick.) Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread about 1/4 cup of the stuffing down the center of each chicken breast. Fold up the short ends of the chicken breast, and then roll one long side jelly-roll-fashion to the other side. Tie the ends with string to secure them. Place the egg in a shallow bowl and the panko crumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip the chicken in the egg, and then roll in the panko crumbs until completely coated. In an ovenproof saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Then put the pan in the oven and bake until the chicken is a deep golden color and firm when pressed, 10 to 12 minutes.
• After the chicken breasts come out of the oven, remove the strings and put them on a warmed platter; tent with foil. Next, place the pan over high heat and deglaze it with the wine. Boil until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 1 to 2 minutes, and then add the chicken stock. Boil until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes, and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
• Cut each breast in half crosswise and place one half on its side on the plate. Lean the second half against the first, facing down. Alternatively, slice breast into even slices. Drizzle with the sauce, garnish with sage leaves, and serve immediately.

CHICKEN BREAST STUFFED WITH SPINACH BLUE CHEESE AND BACON

Steps:

• Cook bacon until crisp. I prefer to use an indoor grill. Bacon can also be cooked in a skillet over medium-high heat, or the microwave at about 1 minute per slice. Drain on paper towels, and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the spinach and blue cheese. Crumble in the bacon, and stir to distribute.
• Lay the chicken breast halves out on a clean surface, and distribute the spinach mixture evenly onto the centers of them. Fold the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Stir together the flour, salt and pepper on a dinner plate. Roll the chicken in the flour to coat.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Quickly brown each piece of chicken on top and bottom. Remove to a lightly greased baking dish, and cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until chicken juices run clear, and filling is hot.

BLUE CHEESE-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Season chicken with pepper. Layer 2 prosciutto slices on each chicken piece. Shape blue cheese into 4 logs. Place 1 log on short end of each chicken piece; press into chicken lightly. Roll up chicken; secure with toothpicks.
• Cook and stir onions, mushrooms and garlic in hot oil in large skillet on medium-high heat until tender. Add chicken; cook until evenly browned, turning occasionally.
• Add broth and vermouth; stir to scrape up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Cook on medium heat 25 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170°F).

GOAT CHEESE-STUFFED CHICKEN WITH APRICOT GLAZE

Steps:

• Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine the goat cheese, ricotta and 1 tablespoon shallots; spread over the center of each chicken breast. Roll up and secure with toothpicks., In a small nonstick skillet, brown chicken in oil on all sides. Remove and keep warm., In the same skillet, saute remaining shallots until tender. Stir in the broth, spreadable fruit, lemon juice and mustard. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half., Return chicken to the pan; cook, covered until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°, 6-7 minutes. Discard toothpicks. Serve chicken with cooking liquid. Sprinkle with parsley.

APRICOT STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Combine dried apricots and cranberries in the amount of water indicated to mix stuffing per microwave directions. When hot add stuffing and mix till moist. Then add applesauce to dressing in place of butter that the stuffing calls for.
• Stuff the breasts with equal portions of stuffing and place on greased casserole dish. Paint tops of breasts with Caesar dressing/or ranch dressing then sprinkle with breadcrumbs and parmesan.
• Bake for approximately 1 hour in 325 to 350 oven. To garnish after cooked take the jar of apricot jam and heat without the lid in microwave till it is pourable and drizzle over your stuffed chicken.

CHICKEN SALAD WITH APRICOTS, CELERY, AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Toss chicken, celery stalks, and 1 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Let sit until ready to serve.
• Whisk buttermilk, vinegar, honey, 1 tsp. pepper, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a small bowl or measuring cup. Pour over celery mixture. Add apricots, blue cheese, mint, and celery leaves and toss just to coat.
• Transfer salad to a platter and season with more pepper.