poultry essentials: stuffed chicken breasts

How To Make poultry essentials: stuffed chicken breasts

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  Step 1
  PREP/PREPARE
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  Step 2
  Chef’s Note: Okay, I just finished making a big pot of homemade chicken soup for tonight’s soiree, and I looked over and saw two lonely chicken breasts staring at me. So, I said: What the heck (I actually did say that). Normally, feta and spinach are used to stuff boneless/skinless chicken breasts that have been pounded flat and rolled up. I did not wish to do that, so I decided to see what would happen if I stuffed bone in, skin on chicken breasts, and I am glad that I did. The bone and the skin kept the chicken super moist during the baking process, and the feta and spices permeated the chicken with delightful flavor.
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  Step 3
  Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
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  Step 4
  THE STUFFING
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  Step 5
  Add the butter and grapeseed oil to a pan over medium heat.
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  Step 6
  When the foaming subsides, add the yellow onion.
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  Step 7
  Stir until softened, about 2 - 3 minutes.
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  Step 8
  Add the garlic, and stir until fragrant, about 60 seconds.
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  Step 9
  Add the spinach and the sunflower seeds.
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  Step 10
  Stir until the spinach wilts, and most of the water is evaporated, about 3 – 5 minutes.
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  Step 11
  Take off the heat, and stir in the feta, and season with a bit of salt, white pepper, and cayenne pepper.
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  Step 12
  THE CHICKEN
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  Step 13
  Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 400f (205c).
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  Step 14
  Carefully separate the skin from the flesh of the chicken breast.
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  Step 15
  Use a paring knife to slice a generous pocket into the chicken breast.
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  Step 16
  Stuff the pocket with the spinach mixture.
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  Step 17
  Cover the top of the chicken with more spinach mixture.
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  Step 18
  Pull the skin back over the chicken breast.
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  Step 19
  Brush with some olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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  Step 20
  Place the chicken breasts into a baking dish, skin side up.
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  Step 21
  Put into the preheated oven, and bake until the internal temperature of the breasts reaches 165f (75c), about 35 – 40 minutes.
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  Step 22
  Chef's Tip: The amount of time that it takes to cook your chicken is dependent on the thickness of the breast. I have had chicken that took over 90 minutes.
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  Step 23
  Chef’s Tip: If you do not have an instant-read thermometer, cook the chicken until the juice run clear, when pricked.
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  Step 24
  PLATE/PRESENT
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  Step 25
  Serve while nice and hot with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy.
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  Step 26
  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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