Chickenbreastsstuffedwithartichokeslemonandgoatscheese Recipes

CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKES AND LEMON

Steps:

• If using fresh artichokes, fill a large bowl with water. Cut 1 lemon in half then squeeze the juice into the water; add the spent lemon halves to the bowl, too.
• Prepare the artichokes one at a time, rubbing them all over with the spent lemon halves as you cut and expose the inner artichoke heart. First, cut off at least 1 inch of the thorny top. Trim the stem near the heart, leaving about 2 inches of stem if possible, then peel off the outer green fiber of the stem. Using your fingers, tear off the tough outer leaves, then switch to a sharp paring or bird's beak knife, when necessary, to shave more inner artichoke leaves until you reach the tender pale green or yellow leaves and create a bulbous shape. Gently open the leaves and remove the choke using a grapefruit spoon or melon baller, then scrape and tear (or slice) the remaining leaves off so that only the bottom remains. Cut the artichoke heart in quarters; put the quarters in the lemon water as you work to prevent discoloration. Discard the rest of the artichoke, leaves and stem, or reserve for another use.
• Pat chicken dry, then season all over with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat, then add the chicken, skin-side down. Cook, undisturbed until well browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Flip and brown the other side, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken thighs to a plate and spoon out about 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan, if desired. (You can discard the excess fat or save for another use.)
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add the onion, garlic, parsley and saffron. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the onion, then stir to combine.
• Add the broth to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the pan skin-side up. Arrange the artichokes between the chicken pieces, cover, and simmer over medium-low until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
• Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the sauce is thickened and the artichokes slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the juice from half the remaining lemon, taste, and adjust with salt and more lemon juice if needed. Spoon artichokes and pan sauces over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley to garnish, and serve.

ARTICHOKE-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Line sheet pan with aluminum foil and treat with nonstick cooking spray.
• Slice chicken breast in half carefully and open up to a larger piece (butterfly).
• Salt and pepper both sides.
• Mix next 7 ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup mozz cheese for the topping.
• Place 1 Tbsp of filling on each opened breast and fold over gently.
• Bake for 30 min or until chicken is done. (this could vary due to the thickness of the chicken breast and your oven).
• Take out and top each breast with 1 Tbsp of mozz cheese, a bit of reserved minced red onion and italian seasoning.
• Put back in the oven for 5 min, or until cheese just starts to melt.

STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS, FETA CHEESE, CAPERS, AND BLACK OLIVES

Steps:

• Place the chicken breast halves into a plastic zipper bag. Shake the bottle of Italian dressing and pour into the bag. Seal the bag and shake to thoroughly coat the chicken with the dressing; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking dish with olive oil.
• Remove the chicken breast halves and shake off excess marinade. Discard the leftover marinade. Place the chicken between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2 inch.
• Mix together the artichoke hearts, olives, capers, and feta cheese in a bowl; spoon about 2 tablespoons of the feta mixture into the middle of each flattened chicken breast. Roll each chicken breast around the filling and secure with toothpicks. Place the rolled chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken has browned and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes.