Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Cilantro Pesto Goat Cheese
Creamy goat cheese countered with spicy cilantro pesto adds wonderful flavor to easy-to-prepare chicken dish. Cilantro is one of the classic ingredients in Southwestern cooking, lending its acerbic flavor to everything from salsas to meats. The stuffing can be prepared up to two days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. The chicken breasts can be taken as far as the grilling and stuffing up to six hours in advance of baking. Chef Greer serves these with Three-Tomato Salsa and chopped fresh tomato.
Ingredients
- Whole Chicken Breasts - 2 large
- Cilantro Leaves - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
- Chicken Stock - 1/4 cup
- Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Stuffing
- Garlic Cloves - 2, peeled
- Serrano Chilies - 2, stemmed
- Cilantro Leaves - 2 cups
- Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Parmesan Cheese - 2 tablespoons, freshly grated
- Mild Goat Cheese - 3 ounces
- Ricotta cheese - 1/4 cup
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Light a charcoal or gas grill. Remove the bones from the chicken breasts, but leave the skin attached. Cut into four serving pieces.
Mix the cilantro leaves with the chicken stock, oil, salt, and pepper. Marinate the breasts in the mixture for 15 minutes, then drain, reserving the marinade.
Place the breasts on the grill skin-side down over red-hot coals and partially cook the breasts, brushing with the marinade, for 3 minutes per side (2 minutes on a hot gas grill). Remove and set aside.
To prepare the stuffing: In a blender or food processor, puree the garlic, chilies, cilantro, oil, Parmesan cheese, goat cheese, and ricotta cheese. Season with salt and pepper and put in a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Pipe the cheese mixture directly under the skin of the chicken breasts, spreading it in an even layer. Place the breasts in a baking pan and pour some of the reserved marinade over them. Bake for 12 minutes. Serve immediately.
