Chicken Breasts With Grape Pecan Stuffing Recipes

PECAN-STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST

Steps:

• Lay out a 15-inch-long piece of plastic wrap on a cutting board and drizzle it with a little olive oil. Lay a butterflied chicken breast, cut side up, on the plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over to cover. Using a meat pounder, pound out the thicker parts of the breast so that it's uniformly thick. Fold the plastic wrap open and brush the chicken breast with the molasses; season with generous pinches of fennel, salt and pepper. (This will be the inside part of the breast that gets stuffed.) Fold the plastic wrap back over and flip the breast over. Fold plastic wrap open and season the other side of the breast with salt and pepper. (This is the outside that will later get seared in the pan.) Re-cover with the plastic wrap and place on a plate. Repeat this process with the remaining chicken breasts. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight.
• Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and pecans, and cook another 2 minutes. Add the tarragon and cook another minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
• Remove a butterflied breast from the plastic wrap. Place it on a cutting board, molasses-side up. Place 1/4 cup of the filling on half of the chicken breast. Fold over the other half to enclose the filling. Using a bamboo skewer, close up the opening by threading the skewer through one end of the opening to the other to secure. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.
• Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the stuffed chicken breasts and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Add the wine, chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and poach until the chicken is cooked through, another 8 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate, remove the skewers, cover the chicken with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. While chicken is resting, turn up the heat on the poaching liquid to medium, add the crushed red pepper, and let simmer until thickened and reduced by a third, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Strain the sauce into a small pot and keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
• To serve: Slice the chicken, if desired, and arrange on a serving platter. Pour some sauce over the top. Serve immediately, with extra sauce on the side.

ONE-DISH CHICKEN AND STUFFING BAKE

Steps:

• Mix water and butter. Add stuffing. Mix lightly.
• Spoon stuffing along center of 3-quart shallow baking dish. Arrange chicken on each side of stuffing and sprinkle with paprika.
• Mix soup, milk and parsley. Pour over chicken. Cover.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until done.

CHUNKY CHICKEN SALAD WITH GRAPES AND PECANS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add the chicken, grapes, pecans, celery and, if desired, onion; mix lightly to coat. If desired, serve with lettuce leaves or whole wheat bread.

STUFFING STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• In a small nonstick skillet, saute the onion, celery and garlic in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. In a large bowl, dissolve bouillon in boiling water. Stir in the bread crumbs, milk, herbs and celery mixture. Set aside., Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread bread crumb mixture over chicken; roll up. Secure with toothpicks., Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes. Melt remaining butter and brush over chicken. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 170°. Discard toothpicks.