Peach, Basil & Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Peach, Basil & Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

chicken:

• 3 large chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 lbs total

• salt, pepper & all-purpose seasoning, I like Trader Joe’s 21 seasoning salute

• 1 tbsp butter, for pan searing chicken

filling:

• 1 ripe peach, thinly sliced

• 4 oz crumbled goat cheese, plus more for topping

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil

• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 2 tbsp peach preserves, optional but recommended!

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lay chicken on a flat surface and butterfly to create a pocket for the stuffing. Sprinkle the outside liberally with salt, pepper and all-purpose seasoning.

3. Make the filling by combining goat cheese, egg, basil, breadcrumbs, peach preserves, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

4. Stuff the chicken breasts with the filling and then lay a few peach slices on top (I did ~5 slices per breast) before gently pressing the top of the chicken breast over the peach/goat cheese filling. You can secure with toothpicks if you would like.

5. Heat a saute pan over medium heat, add the butter and pan sear the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes per side or until slightly golden (be careful when flipping so the filling doesn’t spill out!).

6. Transfer to an oven safe dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees F). Top with more goat cheese, basil and peaches before serving (best if served immediately vs reheating!).