If you’re like me and cheese is your love language then you’ve come to the right place! These savory, cheesy, flavorful, stuffed full of goodness, pockets are simple yet super elegant!
For those who are new here, I studied Italian cuisine in Sorrento, Italy learning from some of the best Chefs in the country and you will see a nod to classic Southern Italian flavors in a lot of my food. I love a meal that is rustic yet elegant; simple yet packed full of flavor; quick yet complex and these Caprese Stuffed Chicken breasts hit all those marks.
You’ll want to very carefully slice into your chicken breasts lengthwise without slicing through the back of the meat so that you create the perfect little pocket ripe for stuffing. Keep your knife parallel to your cutting board and your hand on top of the chicken while slicing to keep safety first. You lose a finger, that’s on you I am not liable!! I find that going slow and using the tip of my knife works best.
After slicing, dicing, and prepping all of my ingredients I like to briefly roast my sliced tomatoes to cook out a bit of the moisture and concentrate the flavor. Tomatoes are packed full of water and I always opt for maximizing flavor! If you are in a time crunch or hell, simply don’t feel like it, this step is totally optional. Sun-dried tomatoes or fresh tomatoes are alternatives that will work just fine!
After the tomatoes are ready, we are going to stuff these bad boys to the brim with creamy delicious fresh mozzarella slices *drool*.
Once these beauties are stuffed, it’s smooth sailing from here. Season the outside of your chicken, give them a quick sear on both sides, pop them into the oven et Viola!! I developed this recipe when I was going hardcore on a keto meal plan so I’ve grown accustomed to not eating it with any carbs. I choose some lemon pepper seasoned, sautéed asparagus but a side of angel hair pasta tossed in garlic and olive oil or orzo would be amazing!
For my wine loversssssss we can’t forget about the pairings! Wine & Food are in a committed relationship and who am I to divorce them?! Savory, rich, creamy food calls for a rich full-bodied White Burgundy. Get out of the habit of pairing reds with meat and white with seafood just for the sake of it. Look instead to matching body for body. The villages of Ladoix known for cream, almond, luscious notes, Puligny-Montrachet offering the perfect gastronomic juices full of tropical stone fruit-driven notes, or a bottle of Meursault with ballerina-precision, balancing acts of limestone-minerality and freshness and an elegant hint of smokiness are all amazing options depending on what you’re into.
Balance between high acid, weight in the body, and enough complexity to hold up to such a flavorful dish is the objective. These villages in France and others like them will complement your meal perfectly. Take out the guesswork and let me send you the perfect bottles to complete your meal for a sensory explosion. Contact me now to get a premium 3 bottle Chateau de Pommard collection delivered directly to your door for only $228, includes shipping (contact me via IG DM or email for purchase).
Enjoy this incredibly easy stuffed chicken recipe y’all and be sure to tag me on IG @wandering_wino_ when you make it!
Caprese Stuffed Chicken
For juicy, fresh, and light tasting goodness.
Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4-5
Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts skin on, sliced lengthwise down the middle
2 Tomatoes, sliced into ½ inch rounds (jarred sundried tomatoes as alternate)
1 8oz Ball of Fresh Mozzarella, sliced into ½ inch rounds
2 Tb Garlic Powder, divided
1 Tb Onion Powder
1 ½ Tb Dry Basil
1 ts Paprika
EVOO
Salt & Pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Slice Chicken, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella and set aside
- Drizzle a baking sheet with a little bit of olive oil and place tomato slices on it. Sprinkle to tomatoes with a pinch garlic powder and dried basil. About ½ TB of each
- Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until tomatoes have evaporated out most of their moisture
- Open chicken breast and stuff with 2 pieces of both tomato and mozzarella side by side (as pictured above). Season both sides of the chicken with the remaining spices.
- Preheat a large oven-safe skillet or cast iron on med-high heat and drizzle with about 1 ts of olive oil. When oil is hot carefully place the chicken, skin side down into the pan, and sear until golden brown. About 4-6 minutes. Flip the chicken being mindful not to let the stuffing fall out and sear the other side.
- Put the skillet into the preheated oven and cook for another 15-18 minutes or until the internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees
- Take out of the oven and let rest for 10-12 minutes before serving to let the cheese cool down.
- Serve with some seasonal veggies and a side of pasta and enjoy!!!
