I made my favorite chicken recipe last night. It has a mexican flair and is to die for. When we sat at the dinner table, it occured to me that I need to share my top secret recipe with you! (Sorry, I had already begun cutting up my chicken when I decided to take a photo!) It is based on a recipe I found in Joy of Cooking last year. I revised it to make it easier to cook and simplify the ingredients. Add it to your menu plan for the week! Your family will think you are a gourmet cook!
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SOUTHWESTERN STUFFED CHICKEN
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Rinse and pat dry; trim:
4 boneless skinless chicken breat halves
Lay on work surface with smoother side up. Make an incision about 3 inches long and 2 inches deep in the middle of the thick side to create a pocket.
In a small bowl combine:
4 oz. pepperjack cheese, minced (Cabot is the best)
2 medium jalepeno peppers, seeded and minced (without the seeds they are pretty mild)
diced sundried tomatoes in olive oil (comes in a jar, Delallo is my favorite)
Spoon one-quarter of the filling into each pocket. Press to seal edges. Generously season each chicken breast with salt & pepper. Refrigerate while doing the following tasks.
Combine:
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
pinch of ground red pepper
Rip 4 squares of aluminum foil, lay out on surface. Crease each one in half diagonally. Divide the black bean mixture evenly onto the pieces of foil, on one side of the crease. Top each with a chicken breast. Sprinkle with paprika. Fold the empty half of the foil over the chicken to cover. Fold the edges of the foil togehter all the way around, closing the packet tightly. Set on a baking sheet (I use my baking stone). Pierce each packet once with tip of knife to allow steam to escape while cooking. Bake 30 minutes. Serve with white rice and lime wedges.
