Tapenade Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipes

CHICKEN PAILLARD WITH BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE

Steps:

• Make the tapenade: In the bowl of a food processor, place olives, anchovy, garlic, capers, parsley, orange zest, lemon zest, red-pepper flakes and olive oil. Pulse several times to make a rough paste, then scrape down sides of the bowl and purée for about 30 seconds more. Alternatively, use a knife to finely chop ingredients, transfer them to a bowl and stir in the olive oil. You should have about 1 cup of tapenade, more than you need for this recipe. (Refrigerate the remainder for up to 2 weeks.)
• Prepare the chicken: Working one at a time, lay chicken breast on a sturdy cutting board. With a sharp, thin-bladed knife, cut breast horizontally in half, almost, but not completely. Open the breast like a book; it will be a heart-shaped piece of meat. Lay the breast between two resealable plastic bags and lightly pound the breast to 3/8- to 1/2-inch thickness. Don't pound too hard, or the meat may tear. When all breasts are ready, transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet in one layer.
• Season each breast on both sides with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle with chopped thyme, and rub seasoning into meat, coating evenly with oil. Scatter thyme sprigs and lemon zest strips over. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
• Set oven to 400 degrees. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat, and lightly coat bottom with olive oil. When oil is hot, lay two chicken breasts top-side down in skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn over and cook 1 minute more. Transfer breasts to a clean baking sheet, browned-side up. Repeat with the other breasts.
• Bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes, until firm to the touch. Remove from oven, keep warm and let rest 5 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and lemon zest strips.
• Put arugula in a bowl, and dress very lightly with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place a handful of dressed greens on each of four plates. Place cooked paillards alongside. Smear 1 tablespoon tapenade across the surface of each breast. With a vegetable peeler, shave some cheese over arugula. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

KALE-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Cut each whole chicken breast into two halves, following the line that separates the two sides. Trim the breasts of fat and cartilage. Using a sharp knife, make a deep pocket in each half of the chicken breast by slicing it horizontally from the thick end to the thin end on the underside of the breast. Do not cut all the way through to the other side.
• Divide the stuffing into 6 equal portions, about 1/3 cup each. Fill each pocket with the stuffing. Press the edges of the chicken together, securing the filling inside the chicken. Do not flatten the breast. Refrigerate the stuffed breasts until you are ready to bread and bake them.
• Position a rack at the top of the oven and preheat the oven to 450˚F.
• Combine the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper in a food processor or by hand; be sure the bread crumbs are finely ground. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and hot sauce. Process until the bread crumbs are coated in the oil, about 15 seconds.
• In three separate bowls, place the bread crumb mixture, flour, and egg. Add the milk to the egg and whisk to combine. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the flour and mix well.
• Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes.
• Dredge one stuffed chicken breast in the flour and shake off any excess. Coat the chicken in the egg and then the bread crumbs, pressing the bread crumbs lightly to coat the breast evenly. Repeat the process with each piece. Remove the pan from the oven and place the chicken pieces on the hot pan.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bread crumb coating is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken reads 165˚F. (Be sure to test the temperature of the chicken meat and not the stuffing.) If you have a convection oven, turn it on for this recipe, as it turns the chicken breasts a beautiful brown color, but reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes.
• Serve the chicken breasts immediately, cut into thick slices, or let them cool and serve at room temperature.
• Kale and Tapenade Stuffing
• In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute. Add the kale, salt, and pepper and sauté for 2 minutes, or until the kale is softened. Remove the kale from the heat, add the cheeses and tapenade, and gently combine. Refrigerate the stuffing for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Make Ahead
• The cooked chicken breasts may be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Allow them to return to room temperature before serving or reheating them, covered, for 15 minutes in a 400˚F. oven. Uncover and continue baking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes before serving.