I did not know what to call this dish. I’m still not confident that I even do! There is so much deliciousness happening within this chicken that limiting it down to a name with only a few flavors feels wrong. What I really wanted to call it was Honey Maple Balsamic Glazed Chicken Breast Stuffed with Blueberry Goat Cheese, Spinach, & Roasted Red Peppers – but now you see why I left out a few words. That’s a MOUTHFUL – pun intended hehe. It sounds like one of those awful children’s names that goes something like “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.” Like just so many names that you wonder whyyy? Kidding, kidding!
This chicken is a mouthful though and it has the name to prove it. If you’re looking for a new chicken dish for the summer, or just trying to switch it up a bit, this is the one to try! It’s so different, in a good way! I love to play around with different chicken dishes because I think there is so much you can do with chicken. Sweet, spicy, savory, fruity, baked, fried, breaded, grilled, your options are honestly endless. People tend to say they get bored with chicken but I can never understand that! Sure, I would get bored of the same dish over and over too, but it’s so easy to switch up a chicken recipe and try something different to keep you satisfied!
The idea to make this chicken honestly came from me starring at what was in my fridge that I needed to use. I feel like a lot of my dinners start that way! Anyone else?! I had chicken breasts that I knew I needed to cook but how was the question. Lately, Will has been obsessed with blueberry goat cheese, so I’ve been buying a ton of it. I love it too! It’s so fruity and tastes like summer, which we are all ready for right now! I figured it would be so yummy to stuff the chicken with that and then add in some vegetables for a few extra colors on the plate. I’m all about a colorful plate and the more vegetables the better! I saw we had a red pepper and some spinach and I thought a roasted red pepper would pair so well with the blueberry that I thought it would be perfect!
Since blueberries can be a little tart I decided to marinate the chicken in a honey maple marinate to compliment the tart blueberry flavor with something a little sweet. All the flavors in this dish ended up pairing so well together that this is definitely something that will be on repeat in this house for the summer! We ended up having it with roasted broccoli and rice pilaf but I think it would be absolutely amazing served with a sweet potato sprinkled with cinnamon and a little butter! This plate is proof that chicken dinners can be as luxurious as you want them to be with a little TLC. I recommend prepping this ahead of time to make it easier to throw it together when it comes time for dinner! All you need is about 10 minutes of prep in the morning to marinate the chicken, sauté the spinach, and roast a red pepper and you’ll be good to go!
What You’ll Need:
(makes two servings)
2 organic chicken breasts
1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tbsp. organic honey
½ tsp. balsamic
½ fresh squeezed lemon + zest
4 gloves of fresh garlic, chopped
3 handfuls organic spinach
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 organic red pepper, roasted (I explain below how to roast it)
2 tbsp. blueberry goat cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the red pepper on the top rack and let it roast until it starts to sink in slightly and looks like it is almost burnt. This usually takes about 35-45 minutes. NOTE: It is ok if it looks burnt because you are going to peel off the top layer. Once roasted, remove the pepper and place into an airtight container and put in the fridge. This will allow it to sweat so it will be very easy to remove the skin. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to peeling off the skin. Once the skin is removed, slice into 4-6 slices and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, honey, balsamic, lemon, lemon zest, and 2 chopped garlic cloves. Mix well and set aside.
Next, create a pocket in each chicken breast for the stuffing. Place the chicken breast flat on a cutting board and slide the knife through horizontally to create the pocket. Make sure not to slice all the way through.
Place the chicken breasts in an airtight container and cover with marinate. Put in the fridge and let it marinate for at least 4 hours.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm olive oil and remaining chopped garlic cloves. Add in spinach and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to taste. Once sautéed, remove and set aside.
After the chicken has marinated, it is time to stuff it with the roasted pepper, spinach, and sprinkled goat cheese. Stuff each chicken breast and place in a glass pan and bake for 33 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with your choice of sides and ENJOY!
Comments