Sunday, February 24, 2013

Goat Cheese and Greens' Stuffed Chicken

I'm a huge fan of stuffed chickens breasts! Between Chicken Kiev, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Broccoli and Cheddar Chicken, and any possible combination that includes cheese, I love them. Now that I'm cutting back on gluten, the only problem is the crust - finding that perfect substitute that satisfies an alternate to breadcrumbs. The solution? Cornflakes. My grandmother used to bread her country-style drumsticks with cornflakes, and I grew up thinking that it was the norm. In addition, another alternative to breadcrumbs is potato flakes (i.e., instant mashed potatoes). I prefer cornflakes (the organic ones) because they're lower in sodium and processed junk, and have a much more satisfying crunch. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 cup goat cheese, softened
1 cup spinach, whole leaves
1/2 cup basil, whole leaves
1 egg, beaten
2 cups cornflakes, ground (I've used a plastic bag and a hammer many times)
1 tbsp basil, dried
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp black pepper, cracked
Several toothpicks

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare chicken breasts by gently beating them with a mallet to approximately 1/4'' thick.
2) Put 1/4 of spinach leaves and 1/4 of basil leaves on the surface of each chicken breast, and place 1/4 of goat cheese on top of the greens.
3) Gently begin to roll the chicken, folding in the edges, and securing all creases with toothpicks.
4) Once each breast is secured, transfer to bowl with beaten egg, coating thoroughly. Transfer egged chicken breasts to bowl with ground cornflakes and generously coat with crumbs.
5) Transfer chicken breasts to baking dish, and top with freshly cracked pepper, basil, and garlic powder.
6) Bake chicken breasts until juices run clear (approximately 20-30 minutes).
7) Remove chicken from oven, and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove toothpicks gently and serve!

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