Recipe Background
If you're craving something cozy, Snuggled-Up Chicken is the main course you must make! Curl up with a plate of this juicy chicken that's all bundled up with a creamy, citrusy, broccoli-filled concoction that makes every bite feel just right. Grab your blanky and a fork and gobble up this Snuggled-Up Chicken! There's nothing quite as comfy!
If you're craving something cozy, Snuggled-Up Chicken is the main course you must make! Curl up with a plate of this juicy chicken that's all bundled up with a creamy, citrusy, broccoli-filled concoction that makes every bite feel just right. Grab your blanky and a fork and gobble up this Snuggled-Up Chicken! There's nothing quite as comfy!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1/4 cup shallot chopped
- 1 cup broccoli florets coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice divided
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 (8-ounce) chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 cup low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded
- lemons to taste, sliced, for garnish
Directions
- Adjust an oven rack to the center position then preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil.
- Add the shallots to the heated oil and cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Stir the chopped broccoli florets and the garlic into shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the broccoli is bright green and tender, about 3 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add the broccoli mixture, the ricotta, the basil, the lemon zest, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the lemon juice, and the crushed red pepper and fold to gently combine.
- Wipe the skillet clean.
- Use a clean, sharp knife to cut a horizontal slit through the thickest portion of each of the chicken breasts to form a pocket. Be careful to not cut all the way through.
- Stuff each of the chicken breast pockets with about 1/3 cup of the broccoli mixture, then secure them with wooden toothpicks.
- Evenly sprinkle each of the stuffed chicken breasts with the salt and the pepper.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil.
- Arrange the stuffed chicken breasts, top-side down, in the heated oil and cook until they are golden, about 3 minutes.
- Carefully flip the stuffed chicken breasts over then transfer the skillet to the oven.
- Bake the stuffed chicken breasts until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees in the thickest portion of the meat, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet from the oven and let the stuffed chicken breasts rest in the pan until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees in the thickest portion of the meat.
- Switch the oven to the broil setting and adjust an oven rack so that it is about 8 inches from the heat source.
- Evenly sprinkle the stuffed chicken breasts with the cheese.
- Broil the stuffed chicken breasts until the cheese is melted and nicely browned, about 2-3 minutes.
- Drizzle the stuffed chicken breasts with the remaining lemon juice, then remove and discard the wooden toothpicks.
- Serve the stuffed chicken breasts garnished with the lemon slices.
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