Walnut-Crusted Chicken With Chard And Bleu Cheese
makes 6 servings
You can use the heady stuffing for these pan-seared chicken breasts for pounded flank steak, pork roast or Portobello mushrooms.
Read more about this recipe at hogwash.
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 pound coarsely chopped chard leaves
1 cup walnut halves, toasted
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
prep: 55 minutes
total: 1 hour 10 minutes
large skillet
tongs
large mixing bowl
cutting board
small, sharp knife
baking sheet
1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and garlic and cook, stirring, for just a few seconds.
2. Add half the chard, turning it with tongs to coat it with the oil. Cook, turning frequently and adding more chard as it begins to cook down, until all the chard fits in the pan.
3. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, or until all the chard is completely wilted.
4. Meanwhile, chop the walnuts. Transfer half of them to a large mixing bowl. Chop the remaining walnuts as finely as possible, and set them aside in a small bowl.
5. When the chard is done, transfer it to a cutting board, remove any still-crunchy stem pieces, chop the leaves finely, and add to them mixing bowl, along with the bleu cheese.
6. Stir the chard, walnuts, and cheese together until well-blended and set aside the stuffing.
7. Preheat oven to 350F.
8. Using a small, sharp knife, trim the chicken breasts, and cut each breast almost in half horizontally, so each opens like a book with one long side of the breast holding the two halves together. (Placing the chicken on the board smooth side-down makes it easier to see that both halves of the breast remain intact when you cut them, so that no stuffing will fall out.)
9. Season the chicken breasts inside and out with salt and pepper, and stuff each with 1/6 of the stuffing mixture.
10. Turn the closed, stuffed breasts smooth side up on a plate, and dust with about half of the remaining walnuts.
11. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil, swirl to coat the pan, then add three of the chicken breasts, nutty side down. Season the newly exposed sides with half the walnuts left in the bowl.
12. Cook for 4 minutes, or until the chicken releases easily from the pan. Flip the breasts over carefully (try not to lose any stuffing), and cook another 4 minutes on the second side, until browned.
13. Move the chicken to a baking sheet, smooth side-up, and repeat with the remaining tablespoon oil, chicken and walnuts.
14. Bake the chicken on the middle rack of the oven for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately.
