Cheese-Stuffed Chicken
By: Barnaby Dorfman
Published: Thursday, February 11, 2010 - 1:40pm

Ingredients




cup Grated Monterey Jack cheese
cup Grated Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons Chopped parsley
teaspoon Dried tarragon OR
2 teaspoons Chopped fresh tarragon
Freshly ground pepper
Salt
4 Chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless (4 to 5 ounces each)
8 shts phyllo dough pastry
4 tablespoons Melted unsalted butter

Preparation

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2 Place the cheeses, softened butter, parsley, tarragon, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Beat and mash the ingredients together until they form a stiff paste... your fingers or a big wooden spoon are the best tools for this job. Divide the mixture into 4 finger-shaped logs, each about 3-inches long. Set aside. Flatten each chicken breast by placing it between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper, and pounding with a mallet or rolling pin until roughly 1/4" thick and 5 or 6" across. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Place a cheese log in the center of each breast, then roll and fold the chicken around the cheese to enclose it completely.  3 Place a sheet of phyllo dough on your work surface. Top with a second sheet, and brush lightly with melted butter. Set a chicken in the center of one of the narrower ends, then roll it up in the phyllo, tucking the ends of the dough under to enclose the chicken, and make a neat package. Form the remaining packages the same way. Place them, folds down in a 13x9-inch baking dish, and brush with remaining melted butter. Bake about 40 minutes, or until sizzling and well browned.

About


This recipe was the Grand Prize Winner in the 1997 Real California Cheese Recipe Contest.