Recipes » Tuscan Stuffed Chicken Thighs with White Wine

Tender chicken thighs stuffed with goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes, served with a white wine and shallot sauce.

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
250 grams goat cheese
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced shallot
1 cup dry white wine (Tuscan, if available)
1 cup chicken stock
3 Tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
Basil leaves, for garnish
Lemon slices, for garnish

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place fennel seeds, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and salt in a mortar and grind, with pestle, into a paste. In a medium mixing bowl, combine fennel and garlic mixture, goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, basil, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix until well combined. Set chicken, smooth side down, on work surface and season inside of thighs with salt and pepper. Place 1/8 of stuffing mixture on top each thigh. Fold sides of thighs over filling to enclose it and tie each thigh closed in 2-3 places with kitchen string. Season outside of thighs with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Lower heat to medium, add chicken thighs and saute until lightly brown all over. Transfer stuffed chicken thighs to a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through then remove from oven. Pour off most of the fat from skillet. Add shallot and 1 minced clove garlic and saute over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add white wine and scrape bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to get up all of the browned bits. Cook over medium heat until sauce is reduced by two thirds. Add chicken stock and reduce sauce until slightly thickened. Turn heat to low and add butter, one cube at a time, whisking to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, place chicken on a large serving platter. Drizzle White Wine Sauce on chicken. Garnish with basil and lemon slices.

Number of Servings: 4

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