Stuffed Chicken with Cheesy Garlic Butter Mushrooms
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter for mushrooms
8 ounces (250 grams) sliced brown mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4 skinless and boneless skinless chicken breasts
seasoning with salt and pepper
1 teaspoon powdered onion
1 teaspoon parsley (dry)
8 mozzarella cheese slices
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil for the parmesan cream sauce
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
1 tablespoon mustard (Dijon)
1-1/2 cup half-and-half, reduced-fat cream, or evaporated milk*
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2 teaspoons water plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch cornflour (OPTIONAL FOR A THICKER SAUCE)
2 teaspoons
parsley, freshly chopped
Instructions:
Chicken:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit).
Melt butter in a large oven proof pan or skillet (over 12-inch or 30 cm) over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the mushrooms, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring periodically, until the vegetables are tender. Set aside to chill while you finish prepping the chicken.
Using a paper towel, pat the breasts dry. Salt, pepper, onion powder, and dry parsley to taste. Rub each piece with your hands to evenly coat it in seasoning.
To make a pocket, cut a horizontal slit across the thickest area of each breast. In each breast pocket, place two slices of mozzarella.
Fill each breast with four equal amounts of the mushroom mixture.
Add the mushroom mixture (save the pan juices for use). Don’t worry if there are any mushrooms left over. They’ll come in handy later). 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese per breast goes on top of the mushroom mixture. To keep the mushrooms inside during cooking, use two or three toothpicks near the opening.
Heat the pan juices and the garlic butter in the same pan where the mushrooms were cooked (the garlic butter will start to brown and take on a nutty flavor). Sear the chicken till golden brown. Cook until golden brown on the opposite side. Cook for another 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the meat is thoroughly cooked through the middle and no longer pink.
Serve with pan juices and any remaining ingredients.remaining mushrooms, on top of pasta, rice or steamed vegetables. (To make the optional cream sauce, transfer chicken to a warm plate, keeping all juices in the pan.) Sauce: Fry the garlic in the leftover pan juices until fragrant (about 1 minute). Reduce heat to low heat, and add the mustard and half and half (or cream). Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and add in any remaining mushrooms and parmesan cheese. Allow the sauce to simmer until the parmesan cheese has melted slightly. (If the sauce is too runny for your liking, add the cornstarch/water mixture into the centre of the pan and mix through fast to combine into the sauce. It will begin to thicken immediately). Season with a little salt and pepper to your taste. Add in the parsley and the chicken back into the pan to serve.
