Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken

• Recipe by Annie Wayte

Stuffing chicken breasts with goat cheese doesn’t seem like a particularly healthy approach. But by using only a small amount of goat cheese and mixing it with chopped walnuts and lemon zest, Annie Wayte creates a dish that’s both nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup walnut halves
2. 1/4 cup fresh goat cheese, softened
3. 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
4. 1 garlic clove, minced
5. Salt and freshly ground pepper
6. Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
7. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8. 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
9. 1/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
10. 2 tablespoons walnut oil
11. 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for 6 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool, then chop.
2. In a small bowl, mash the goat cheese with the lemon zest, garlic and half of the walnuts; season with salt and pepper. Using a small knife, cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast; keep the pocket opening as small as possible. Stuff the chicken breasts with the mixture and gently press to flatten them.
3. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken breasts to a platter and keep warm.
4. Add the lemon juice and stock to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the walnut oil, parsley and the remaining chopped walnuts. Transfer the chicken breasts to plates, spoon the walnut sauce on top and serve.

Serve With

Steamed rice or couscous.

Notes

One serving 370 cal, 20 gm total fat, 4.1 gm saturated fat, 3 gm carb, 0.5 gm fiber.