Healthy Stuffed Chicken Breast

Up to this point, I've been cooking by myself, but for today's special post, I'll share a recipe I cooked with the best chef I know: my dad.

This delicious, healthy recipe is more complicated and time consuming than anything I've posted yet, but the results are so worth it.

It's 100 percent possible to cook a gourmet meal in an apartment. Read on for a savory example! 
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Prep Time: 90 mins.                  Cook Time: 20  mins.                      Price: $$
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Recipe

3 whole chicken breasts (6 half breasts)
4 garlic cloves 
2 shallots (onions)
6 oz. goat cheese (1 oz./chicken breast)
1 1/2 T. herbs de provence (1/4 t./chicken breast)
Canola oil

Turn oven to 350. Mince garlic and shallots. 
Saute 2 onions, then 4 garlic cloves, on medium heat in canola oil, enough to coat the pan. 
Mix sauteed onions, garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons Herbs de provence, and 6 ounces goat cheese in a small bowl. (This is the mixture which will be stuffed inside the chicken.)

Put ceran wrap over the chicken and pound it with a meat pounder on a cutting board. 

Place a dollop of cheese mixture on the middle of each chicken breast (golf-ball sized). 

Use three toothpicks to fold and close the chicken breast, as the above picture shows. 

Salt and pepper chicken breasts lightly before pan frying them on medium-high heat. When done, they'll look the picture on the left.

Finish the breasts in oven at 350 until done, about 20 minutes. 

Next up: the sauce!

Sauce

3/4 C. chicken broth
1 T. butter
3-4 whole bay leaves
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream 
Mushrooms (handful, thinly sliced; optional)

While the chicken is being baked in the oven, make the sauce. 
Saute a handful of thinly sliced mushrooms with a little butter (about 1/2 tablespoon).
Add 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream. Add 3-4 bay leaves and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

After you're done making the sauce, check the chicken to make sure it's done. Poke it to check doneness; if it's still squishy, it needs more time.
Color is also a great indicator of doneness; if it's pink, it needs to be cooked longer.

Once the chicken is done, serve it with the sauce. Enjoy!

Makes 6 servings. Even if you're only cooking for you, this can always be shared with friends and used in many different leftovers (sandwich, salad, etc.).
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Tip: Serve with salad and couscous (which is super easy and fast to make) for a complete and delicious meal!

Why: Chicken is fantastic and versatile, but it's also pretty plain. My dad's recipe is a great way to liven up this everyday food. 

Mess-ups and Missteps: Although my dad is a veteran cook, he still had to make some minor tweaks to his recipe as he went along. 

He found that he needed to turn up the heat on the oven and cook the chicken about 5 minutes longer than his recipe calls for. 

That's the mark of an experienced cook: know when to switch things up, improvise, and change! 

Enjoy!

KEEP ON COOKING!