In, On And In Between Chicken

Like many people, I probably cook and serve chicken more than any other single thing for dinner. Here are three fast and easy ways to gussy up roasted chicken breasts on the bone. Two recipes use sundried tomatoes and one incorporates a speedy version of pesto.

The first recipe has a flavorful crust pressed ONTO the skin. The second has a savory mixture UNDER the skin and the last recipe has pesto snuggled INTO a pocket in the middle of the chicken breast.

I use a food processor for all three recipes. If you process the drier ingredients first, you don’t have to rinse out the food processor between steps. Follow the order I’ve given when processing and you’ll save some wash up time.

Chicken Breasts with Sundried Tomato Crust

3 pieces of whole wheat bread

3 garlic cloves, peeled with center stalk removed

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes

4 tsps. oil from sun-dried tomatoes

¼ cup fresh parsley (I added a bit of fresh oregano as well)

¼ tsp. salt

a few grinds of freshly ground pepper

4 chicken breasts on the bone with skin on

salt and freshly ground pepper

Process bread until you have crumbs. Put the garlic through a garlic press and add to crumbs in food processor. Add remaining ingredients and pulse on and off until sun-dried tomatoes are chopped. Process until mixture is uniform. 

Season each breast on both sides with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown chicken on one side only, skin side down, in large non-stick sauté pan.   

Place in baking dish or roasting pan. Spoon the sun-dried tomato coating over each chicken breast, using one quarter of the mixture for each one.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 40 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

                        

This delicious duxelles mixture is made even better with cheese and sundried tomatoes.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

6 mushrooms, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 tsps. olive oil

1 slice wholewheat bread

big handful of parsley

3 oz. soft cheese, gouda or St. Albray

5 sundried tomatoes (the ones packed in oil)

4 chicken breasts on the bone with skin on

salt and freshly ground pepper

Finely chop mushrooms and onion in food processor. Remove and sauté in 2 teaspoons of olive oil over high heat. Turn down to medium/medium high and cook until liquid has cooked off, about 5 minutes. 

Remove from heat and let cool.

Process bread and parsley in food processor. Remove metal blade and put in grating blade. (Leave bread and parsley in processor.) Grate cheese. Remove grating blade and put back in metal blade. Add sundried tomatoes and pulse on and off until mixture is evenly puréed.  Remove to bowl. 

Stir in mushrooms and onion mixture. 

Loosen skin from chicken breasts. Place ¼ of the mixture under the skin of each chicken breast. Season each breast on both sides with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Place in baking dish or roasting pan. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 40 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

                        

This makes more pesto than you need for the recipe. You can serve some on the side and/or stir it into brown rice as an accompaniment. It also freezes beautifully.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Herb Pesto

2 cups of packed fresh parsley and basil (use any ratio you choose)

½ cup toasted nuts walnuts and/or pine nuts, cooled

¼ tsp. Kosher salt

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tbls. water

4 chicken breasts on the bone with skin on

salt and freshly ground pepper

Place herbs in food processor and process until finely chopped. Add remaining ingredients and process until well blended.

Make a slit in the middle of each chicken breast to make a wide pocket. Season each breast on both sides with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a big spoonful of pesto inside each pocket.

Place in baking dish or roasting pan. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 40 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Serve with extra pesto if desired.