Chicken Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes

Tasty, easy, chicken recipes are like your favorite blue jeans. You can depend on them. They’re familiar. You come back to them again and again. (And, you might not want to share them!)

Skinless, boneless chicken breast is a staple in many people’s refrigerators. Especially when one thinks of healthy meals, chicken breast is one of the first things that comes to mind. Low in fat, high in protein, and endlessly versatile, I’d say it’s a deserving reputation.

But skinless chicken can also have a reputation for being… boring. Are you stuck in a chicken rut? Do you always make the same two or three chicken dishes? When your family inquires about dinner and you answer “Chicken”, do they reply, “Again?” If so, you need to try some new chicken recipes. It’s okay, I’m here to help.

I realize that few people want recipes that require thirty ingredients or half a day to make. So here’s a simple recipes that’s among my very favorites. Not counting salt and pepper, you need FOUR ingredients. And one is the chicken. You can pull it off in less than 30 minutes, and most importantly, it’s utterly delicious. Pair it with a steamed veggie and you are set.

Chicken Stuffed With Goat Cheese & Sundried Tomatoes

• 4 sundried tomato halves (not packed in oil)
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 ounces goat cheese (soft type)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (5-ounce) chicken breasts
• Salt
• Cooking oil spray

1. Place sun dried tomatoes in a small bowl, and cover with hot water. Soak 10 minutes, drain, and chop. Add goat cheese, basil, and pepper to tomatoes and stir to combine.
2. Place chicken on a cutting board and use a paring knife to slice a pocket into the side of each chicken breast to hold the filling. Enlarge the pocket carefully without cutting all the way through. Divide cheese mixture between pieces of chicken, gently stuffing it into the pocket. Secure with toothpicks if desired.
3. Season the outside of the chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper. Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium flame. When hot, add chicken and cook 5 minutes or until golden brown underneath. Reduce heat to low, turn chicken breasts over, and cover. Cook 10 minutes or until no pink color remains when cut through the thickest part. (If you have a meat thermometer, cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F)

Makes 2 servings

Per serving: 239 calories, 8 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 2 g total carbohydrate, 0 g dietary fiber, 38 g protein, 278 mg sodium.