Shelly's Recipe

CREAM CHEESE-&-PESTO-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Category: Chicken

2 tbsp cream cheese
1 tbsp basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 egg white
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine cream cheese, pesto and pepper in a small bowl with a fork; set aside.

Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up each breast and place one-fourth of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.

Lightly beat egg white with a fork in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in the egg white, then dredge in the breadcrumbs. (Discard leftovers.)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees, about 20 minutes.

Variations for fillings:
For Goat Cheese-Olive Filling:
2 tbsp creamy goat cheese
1 tbsp chopped black olives
Freshly ground pepper to taste

For Ham & Cheese Filling:
1/4 cup grated Swiss, Monterey Jack or part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp chopped ham
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper to taste