Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Stuffed Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Chicken with Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
2 T basil pesto sauce
1/2 cup sun dried tomatos
2 teeth fresh garlic
1 T extra virgin olive oil
3/4 package cream cheese

6 red potatoes
1 T fresh dill
2 T green onion (4-5 stalks)
1 tsp salt
black pepper
1-2 tsp seasoned salt
1-2 tsp garlic powder
3 T olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Roasted Potatoes:
Dice red potatoes into small one inch cubes. Chop dill and green onion into small pieces. Mix potatoes, dill, green onion, olive oil, salt, pepper, seasoned salt and garlic powder in large bowl to coat evenly.



Spread potatoes out on a large baking sheet. I generally cover the pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place potatoes in oven for 45 minutes. Check potatos once halfway through baking to turn for even roasting. They should be golden brown and crispy on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside when done.

Stuffed Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Chicken:

Mince sun-dried tomatos and garlic into very small pieces. In a medium size bowl mix cream cheese and pesto sauce. I just buy pesto sauce at Fry's/Kroger since it ends up being cheaper to do that than to buy all the ingredients to make my own. But if you have a good recipe or lots of basil growing in your back yard garden, feel free to make yours! Add tomatoes and garlic and mix until even. It is easiest just to throw all the ingredients in a food processor and mix it up that way.

Then, take each chicken breast and create a "pocket" in each by slicing down one side through the center of the breast longwise. Stuff the cream mixture into the pocket, about 1-2 T per breast. Don't make them too full or all the cheese will spill out when you cook them.

Place the stuffed chicken breasts onto a hot pan w/ some oil, salt and pepper and sear both sides of the chicken.




Cook the chicken about 2 minutes on each side and then transfer to a baking dish. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees until the chicken is fully cooked.

One note: The potatoes need to cook at least 25 minutes at 450 degrees, but then when you add the chicken into the oven, you can turn it down to 375 degrees and the potatoes can finish cooking at the lower temperature and will still be crispy and delicious when done.

Enjoy!

2 comments:

  1. This looks delicious!! I'm going to have to try it soon!

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  2. Now this looks FABULOUS! Diane, we'll come over when you make it! :) :) HAHAHAHA!

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