Chicken stuffed with arugula and goat cheese

We had this for dinner this week – it was our first time making it, but won’t be our last. I have a ton of arugula from our garden, so we’ve been trying to make the most of it. And we had goat cheese in the fridge left over from this Strawberry, Arugula, Goat Cheese salad – so we make chicken stuffed with arugula and goat cheese!

INGREDIENTS

Chicken breasts, four

Arugula, about 4 ounces

Goat cheese (chevre), about 4 ounces (Costco has a Kirkland brand goat cheese that is super affordable!)

Olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons

Toothpicks

DIRECTIONS

1.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2.) Wash, dry your chicken breasts. Then place on cutting board, lay a piece of plastic wrap across chicken breasts and pound them with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. We just want to thin them out a bit – it’s easier for wrapping.

3.) On a clean surface, layout the chicken breasts and put a layer of arugula leaves on top. Then sprinkle with goat cheese – it will melt and infuse into chicken, so add a little more than you think you should. Start with the narrowest end of the chicken breasts and roll it up. Secure with a toothpick or two.

4.) Using a skillet that is safe for the oven, place skillet on stove and heat oil on medium high heat. Place your chicken rolls into the pan and brown them on all sides.

5.) Finish them off by placing skillet into oven and cook until chicken is cooked through. Probably 10 – 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven (careful – it’s hot!) and remove the chicken from pan. Cover with foil and let it rest for five minutes. Remove toothpicks and serve – either sliced or whole.

I think there are so many possibilities for this recipe – you could do the same technique with pesto and mozzarella, ham and swiss and . . . ?