Gorgonzola & Prune Stuffed Chicken

From EatingWell: May/June 2007, EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook — Subscribe Now!

Stuffing a chicken breast is relatively simple, but your guests need not know that. We use Gorgonzola and prunes here, but try it with any favorite combination of dried fruit and flavorful cheese. Serve over quick-cooking barley with broccolini or a steamed artichoke on the side.

Gorgonzola & Prune Stuffed Chicken Recipe

4 servings

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Diabetes appropriate | Low calorie | Healthy weight | High potassium | View Complete Nutrition Guidelines»

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped prunes, divided
1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs, (see Note)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (1-1 1/4 pounds), trimmed (see Tip)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Preparation

Combine 1/4 cup prunes, Gorgonzola, breadcrumbs and 1/2 teaspoon thyme in a small bowl. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin edge of each chicken breast, nearly through to the opposite side. Stuff each breast with about 2 1/2 tablespoons filling. Use a couple of toothpicks to seal the opening. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, shallot and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme to the pan; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and the remaining 1/4 cup prunes. Reduce heat to medium; cook, scraping up any browned bits, until most of the wine evaporates, about 2 minutes. Whisk broth and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the pan and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, return the chicken and any juices to the pan and turn to coat with sauce. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove toothpicks, slice the chicken and top with the sauce.

Tips & Notes

Note: We like Ian's brand of coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs, labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets. Or, make your own breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice makes about 1/3 cup. Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until dry and crisp, about 15 minutes.
Tip: To select chicken breasts: Our recommended serving size is 4-ounces (uncooked), so look for small breasts. If yours are closer to 5 ounces each, remove the tender (about 1 ounce) from the underside to get the correct portion size. Wrap and freeze the leftover tenders; when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry, for chicken fingers or in soups.

Nutrition

Per serving: 318 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 75 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrates; 31 g protein; 2 g fiber; 541 mg sodium; 492 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (30% daily value).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 fruit, 4 lean meat