Orethapedia

There’s a reason boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a weeknight dinner MVP. They’re affordable, crowd-pleasing, quick-cooking, and are a blank canvas for your favorite flavors. Here is an easy Sunday meal.

To create space for stuffing, grab a sharp knife and carefully make a horizontal slice into the chicken. You want to cut deeply enough to make room for the stuffing, but not so far that you slice the chicken breast in half. Tuck the asparagus, cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes inside and then use a toothpick or two to keep the chicken sealed. 

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lb. total)
• 6 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into 4 thick slices
• 1/3 c. drained, thinly sliced, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 12 thin stalks asparagus, trimmed
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions

• Step 1 – Preheat oven to 400°. Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut into thick side of each chicken breast, cutting almost to the end. (Be careful not to cut all the way through.)
• Step 2 – Stuff each piece of chicken with mozzarella, tomatoes, and asparagus; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Press edges of chicken together and secure with a toothpick.
• Step 3- I n a small bowl, mix oregano, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Season outside of chicken all over with spice mixture.
• Step 4- In a large ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat, heat oil. Cook chicken, turning halfway through, until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
• Step 5– Transfer skillet to oven and bake until chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165°, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Step 6– Add butter and lemon juice. Swirl until butter melts, about 30 seconds. Remove toothpicks from chicken.
• Step 7– Divide chicken among plates. Spoon pan sauce over.