Almond-Apricot Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Here is Almond-Apricot Cheese Stuffed Chicken served with Mint-Basil Pesto 

on the side, some Raw Kale Salad with Root Vegetables, and Scalloped Potatoes.

Serves 4**

Recipe from Everyday Food

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is just simply divine!  It looks fancy, but it’s quite easy to make.  You can even make the “stuffing” in advance.  To take it over the top, serve this tasty chicken with Mint-BasilPesto.  **One large boneless, skinless breast half is quite a lot of meat for one person.  So, to save money (and meat intake) when prepping the chicken, remove the chicken tender each breast half and save for another use.  (I use them for stir-fry.)  Then after preparing this dish, cut each stuffed chicken breast in half crossways so that you have 8 servings.  Serve with plenty of vegetables and a whole grain side to round out the meal.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves**

1 cup sliced almonds, divided

2 ounces goat cheese, room temperature

4-6 dried apricots, thinly sliced (3 Tablespoons)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

2/3 cup breadcrumbs

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a slit in one side of each chicken breast to create a pocket about 4 inches long.

In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup almonds with the goat cheese and apricots. (This can be done a day in advance.) Stuff each breast with ¼ of the mixture. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

On a plate, combine breadcrumbs and remaining almonds. Dip each breast into the beaten egg, and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until golden, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to oven; bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes (or until the chicken reaches 165°F.) Serve hot with a bit of Mint-Basil Pesto on the side for dipping.

You can save money and meat intake by cutting 

each one of these in half crossways to make 8 servings.