pat's Recipe

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Pesto

Category: Poultry

Be sure to buy evenly sized chicken breasts and the firmest log of goat cheese you can find to make the filling and rolling easier. Don't substitute dried thyme for the fresh or the filling will have a stale, dusty flavor.

Serves 6
8 ounces cream cheese , softened
4 ounces goat cheese , softened
6 tablespoons pesto , homemade or store-bought
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 clove garlic , minced
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups fresh bread crumbs
Lemon wedges (for serving)


1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir the cream cheese, goat cheese, pesto, thyme, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together until smooth.

2. Pound the chicken to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Pat dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Following the photos, mound 1/4 cup of the cream cheese filling at the wider end of the chicken, form the cheese into a log, and then roll the chicken up. (You will have some leftover filling.)

3. Arrange the chicken rolls, seam-side down, about 1/2 inch apart in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish coated lightly with vegetable oil spray.

4. Mix any remaining cream cheese filling with the mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice, then brush the mixture over the tops and sides of the chicken. Toss the breadcrumbs with the butter, then press onto the tops and sides of the chicken rolls.

5. Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden and the very center of the chicken rolls registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes. Serve with the lemon wedges.

To Make Ahead

After the breadcrumbs have been pressed on in step 4, the dish can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Remove the plastic wrap and bake as directed in step 5, increasing the cooking time by 5 to 10 minutes.