Tapenade Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipes

TAPENADE STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Place the olives, garlic, capers, anchovies and lemon zest in food processor. Process until well mixed together. Stop machine and scrape down ingredients. Turn back on and drizzle in olive oil until a paste is formed. You should add enough oil to bind the mixture, but not too much so as to make it oily. Taste for seasoning. Add the lemon juice and process for a few more seconds. You might want to balance it with additional garlic, capers or anchovy, if desired. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gently loosen the skin of the chicken breasts, without removing it. Place the tapenade in a pastry bag or plastic bag with a corner snipped off, and squeeze about 1to 2 tablespoons of mixture under the skin of the chicken. Use your fingers to even it out under the skin. Heat the 2 to 3 tablespoons of pure olive oil in a non-stick saute pan over medium heat. When pan is hot, place the chicken breasts in, skin side down. Saute until golden brown. Turn them over and cook for no more than 1 minute. Remove to baking dish and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place chicken breasts in oven and finish baking until tender and cooked, approximately 15 minutes. Remove the breasts from oven and let cool to room temperature before refrigerating. May be ser

STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• With a slender knife cut a 3-inch pocket along length of thickest side of chicken (or have a butcher do this for you). In a mixing bowl combine the cheese with chopped herbs of your choice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff a quarter of this mixture into each pocket and secure pocket with toothpicks.
• Season the outside with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan and saute the chicken, skin side down for 5 to 6 minutes over moderate heat. Turn over and cook for 5 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through. Remove toothpicks and serve over the salad.
• Variation: instead of the cheese and herbs, stuff each chicken breast with about 2 to 4 tablespoons of another mixture which might include one or several ingredients such as slivered roasted peppers, pitted good black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, anchovies, hot chilis, or other cheeses such as Mozzarella or Fontina.

SAVORY STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Pound out the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap until thin and evenly thick. In a square glass baking dish combine orange juice, mustard, wine and tarragon. Place breasts in dish and coat with marinade and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lay one chicken breast out flat and top with some chopped spinach. In a small bowl mix together cheese, olives, mint and apricots. Roll up the breast and secure with toothpicks. Place chicken back into marinating dish and repeat procedure for remaining breasts. Bake for 40 minutes until firm.