Kalamata Olive, Goat cheese and Pine nut stuffed Chicken Breasts

This recipe is a great way to change up your chicken cutlet routine. Growing up, “Breadcrumb chicken” was always a favorite and we ate it weekly. This is a great way to still get that great breadcrumb crunch but add some more flavor as well.

Recipe by Tierney Larson

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 Thinly cut Chicken breasts

Kosher salt

2 tbl raisins

1 tbl sherry vinegar

2 tbl pine nuts

1 cup of kalamata olives, finely chopped

1/4 cup of goat cheese

zest from half a lemon

1/3 cup packed parsley, leaves and tender stems removed and finely chopped

2/3 cup of all purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 cup of bread crumbs

4 tbl olive oil

You’ll also need 4-8 toothpicks

Ok so…

Preheat your oven to 350F

Place your chicken breasts on a cutting board, cover them lightly with plastic wrap and pound them with the flat side of a meat mallet until they’re even in thickness, about 1/4 inch thick. Season them on both sides with kosher salt and set aside.

In a small bowl, place the raisins and sherry vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes to plump up the raisins.

Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat and add your pine nuts. Toast them for about 4 minutes, watching them carefully (they burn quick). Once they’re lightly golden and fragrant, remove from the pan and set aside. When they’ve cooled slightly, give them a chop and place them in a medium sized bowl. Then add the kalamata olives, goat cheese, lemon zest and parsley. Drain the raisins and chop them finely and add them as well. Stir to combine and taste. Add a pinch of salt and then taste again to see if it needs more salt to bring all the flavors out. Set aside.

Place your flour, eggs (beaten well) and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow dishes and season each with salt. Heat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat while you prepare the chicken.

Roughly divide the filling into 4 and spread 1/4 of the filling evenly on top of each of the chicken breasts. Roll them up and secure them with 1 or 2 toothpicks. Roll the rolled up chicken gently in the flour, then the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Use your hands to help make sure the chicken is coated all over the outside. Repeat with how ever many chickens you can fit in the pan at once. (Don’t dredge them too early)

Once your pan is hot, add about 4 tbl of olive oil, or enough to cover the bottom of the pan with about 1/8 of an inch. And let it heat until shimmering, should take about 1 minute if your pan is super hot.

Add the chicken either in batches or all at once so that they have room around them and aren’t crowded. Let them sear on all sides for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Place in the oven for 7-9 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165F. Remove from the pan and let rest on a cutting board for a few minutes before serving.