Recipes

[IamMrsG]

Almond-Stuffed Chicken
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/almond-stuffed-chicken

            recipe from Cooking Light

YIELD 4 servings

1/3 cup light garlic-and-herbs spreadable cheese (such as Boursin light)
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped, and divided
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons butter

Combine spreadable cheese, 3 Tablespoons almonds, and 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each breast half

to form a pocket. Stuff 1 ½ Tablespoons almond mixture into each pocket; secure each pocket with a wooden pick. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; cover and let stand 2 minutes. Top chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon almonds and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

Reviewer's comment: "I did take the advice of others and put a little chicken broth in the pan when they were cooking on the second side and covered for the rest of the cooking time. The chicken was cooked through and very moist. I served with brown & wild rice and green beans almandine. This recipe is another case where you can't believe it's Cooking Light!"

Mrs. G's notes: I served couscous and green beans with this.  

Following the reviewer's note, I added ~1/4 - 1/3 cup of chicken broth and covered the chicken after I turned it over to the second side. I also had seen reviewers' notes that the timing was insufficient to thoroughly cook the breasts, so I added 3 minutes to the first side and about 2 minutes to the second.  Our chicken was cooked through, yet tender and moist.  With the few extra minutes, the chicken broth deglazed the pan and gave a nice pan sauce to drizzle over the chicken.  

To be perfectly honest, to me, the almonds only contribution to the dish was a little crunchy texture.  Throughout the meal, I could not detect any almond flavor.  

I used 3/4 cup of chicken broth and Tuscan Olive Oil (from The Olive Scene dot com) to prepare the couscous.   The olive oil gave it a mild flavor that we both enjoyed.

I learned this from a chef I once worked with.  To keep your green beans a vibrant shade of green, add a smidgen of baking soda to the cooking water.  Too much, however, will turn your beans mushy, so use a light touch.  I used approximately ½ teaspoon for two servings of beans.

A citrusy wine complements raw (strong) garlic flavors, so we opened a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.  Believe this if you will, but we have found a Sauv. Blanc that I think is tremendous from ---- wait for it -----  Sam's Club. IMHO, other than Kim Crawford's, their label, Member's Mark Sauv. Blanc, is just about as good as it gets.  For half the price.

Apologies for rambling. 

Edited to correct wonky spacing.

[gracie2014]

Yummy, this looks like another keeper!

[tansy]

I just printed the recipe.  Thanks.

[Noel7]

---

@IamMrsG wrote:

Almond-Stuffed Chicken
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/almond-stuffed-chicken

            recipe from Cooking Light

YIELD 4 servings

1/3 cup light garlic-and-herbs spreadable cheese (such as Boursin light)
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped, and divided
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons butter

Combine spreadable cheese, 3 Tablespoons almonds, and 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each breast half

to form a pocket. Stuff 1 ½ Tablespoons almond mixture into each pocket; secure each pocket with a wooden pick. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; cover and let stand 2 minutes. Top chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon almonds and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

Reviewer's comment: "I did take the advice of others and put a little chicken broth in the pan when they were cooking on the second side and covered for the rest of the cooking time. The chicken was cooked through and very moist. I served with brown & wild rice and green beans almandine. This recipe is another case where you can't believe it's Cooking Light!"

Mrs. G's notes: I served couscous and green beans with this.  

Following the reviewer's note, I added ~1/4 - 1/3 cup of chicken broth and covered the chicken after I turned it over to the second side. I also had seen reviewers' notes that the timing was insufficient to thoroughly cook the breasts, so I added 3 minutes to the first side and about 2 minutes to the second.  Our chicken was cooked through, yet tender and moist.  With the few extra minutes, the chicken broth deglazed the pan and gave a nice pan sauce to drizzle over the chicken.  

To be perfectly honest, to me, the almonds only contribution to the dish was a little crunchy texture.  Throughout the meal, I could not detect any almond flavor.  

I used 3/4 cup of chicken broth and Tuscan Olive Oil (from The Olive Scene dot com) to prepare the couscous.   The olive oil gave it a mild flavor that we both enjoyed.

I learned this from a chef I once worked with.  To keep your green beans a vibrant shade of green, add a smidgen of baking soda to the cooking water.  Too much, however, will turn your beans mushy, so use a light touch.  I used approximately ½ teaspoon for two servings of beans.

A citrusy wine complements raw (strong) garlic flavors, so we opened a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.  Believe this if you will, but we have found a Sauv. Blanc that I think is tremendous from ---- wait for it -----  Sam's Club. IMHO, other than Kim Crawford's, their label, Member's Mark Sauv. Blanc, is just about as good as it gets.  For half the price.

Apologies for rambling. 

Edited to correct wonky spacing.

---

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This reads delicious @IamMrsG ! Thank you for sharing the recipe 👍🏻

[Poodlepet2]

Hi MrsG! This is yet another keeper and a "must make".

Just a brief word about almonds: I'm a huge fan of nuts of all kinds and I eat a lot of them. Almonds not only add crunch, but they are adding some Omega-3's: I would add more than what the recipe calls for!

One nut I found that really blossoms in a dish like this and pairs well with stronger flavors such as garlic is the walnut. The flavor intensifies when using it in any kind of cooking and it does absorb liquid, so if you want crunch, reserve a few for topping.

I love cooking with dry chardonnay: do you think using that instead of broth would further enhance this dish?

Once again, I wish I was Mr.G!

Poodlepet2

[IamMrsG]

---

Poodlepet2 wrote, in part:  " . . . One nut I found that really blossoms in a dish like this and pairs well with stronger flavors such as garlic is the walnut. The flavor intensifies when using it in any kind of cooking and it does absorb liquid, so if you want crunch, reserve a few for topping.

I love cooking with dry chardonnay: do you think using that instead of broth would further enhance this dish?

 

@Poodlepet2  You are 100% right about walnuts.  I generally use them in place of pine nuts in recipes.  Once you've experienced "pine nut mouth," you don't tend to forget it.  

The chardonnay in lieu of broth is a good idea, too.  Either way, the goal is to prevent the chicken from being too dry, so added flavor is all bonus.

BTW, there was enough of this meal leftover for lunch for DH the next day. He said it re-warmed well, even called it, "great."    I've been sure to tell him about references to him in these threads, his being a well-fed man and such.  He gets a kick out of it.  In fact, the other night, after the Pork Cutlets with Orange Gremolata, he suggested I say, "Mr. G. left the table smiling."  

[Poodlepet2]

Mr.G certainly does have a lot to smile about! If he has not retired, I am betting that Mr. G is one of the first to leave work in order to make it home in time for a fabulous dinner!

...that would be a great gift for Mr. G: you could have a custom made t-shirt....no....for Mr.G and your cuisine, at the very least, a nice Ralph Lauren Polo shirt-that says "It's Good To Be Mr. G"!

Spoiler

Poodlepet2