Chicken with Goat Cheese and Figs Recipe
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This is a simple and elegant preparation for boneless, skinless chicken breast.
What to buy: Fresh figs can be found in grocery stores during the summer and early fall. Otherwise substitute dried figs by slicing them in half and adding them to the port reduction when the chicken broth is added.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick)
- 4 medium shallots, sliced paper thin
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups port wine (tawny or reserve)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 ounces chèvre (fresh goat cheese)
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped thyme
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds total)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 medium fresh figs, halved lengthwise
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. When it foams, add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the port to the frying pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer until the port is reduced by half, about 6 to 10 minutes. Add the broth and reduce by half again (you should have about 2 cups); remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, mix together the reserved shallots, cheese, and 1 tablespoon of the thyme in a small bowl until evenly incorporated. Divide into 6 portions and set aside.
- Make pockets in the chicken by laying 1 breast on a cutting board and using a sharp knife to slice horizontally about three-quarters of the way through the meat. Move the knife in a fanning motion to slightly enlarge the pocket (be careful not to cut all the way through); repeat with the remaining chicken breasts. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and stuff the divided shallot filling into the pockets.
- Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add 3 of the chicken breasts and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat. Remove and repeat with the remaining chicken. Once all the chicken is browned, place it on a baking sheet and bake until it’s cooked all the way through (the juices will run clear when pierced with a knife), about 20 minutes.
- About 5 minutes before the chicken is ready, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Once it foams, add the figs, cut side down, and the remaining thyme and cook until the figs are well browned. Add the reserved port sauce and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir until the butter has melted and the sauce is heated through. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. When the chicken is ready, transfer to a serving platter, top with the sauce and figs, and serve.
Beverage pairing: Qupé Marsanne, California. Marsanne makes wines with good weight, but also good acidity and subtle, unprepossessing flavors of white peaches and jasmine. It’s lovely with something equally humble like chicken, especially when accented with thyme, the sharpness of chèvre, and the richness of figs.
I made this last night, and while it wasn't perfect, it was good enough to make it again with some tweaks. The most important will be to cook it for less time and at a lower temperature. As it was, I cooked it in the oven at 350 (not the 400 degrees in the recipe) for 20 minutes and it was overcooked and dried out. Ten minutes at 350 is what I'll try next time, given that the chicken is already partially cooked by the time it gets into the oven.
Another thing I'll do differently is use a pastry bag to inject the filling into the breasts. As it was, using my fingers was messy and inefficient.
Of course, some of the filling leaked out, so next time I'll close the opening with a toothpick.
I made a few changes to the recipe's order of operations last night to minimize the number of pots and pans I'd need to scrub. I started by cooking the shallots in a pan in butter as directed, and meanwhile I reduced the port and broth in a separate pot. After removing the shallots from the pan, I put them in a small bowl, not on a plate, and used the bowl to mix the filling. I browned the chicken breasts in the same pan I had used to cook the shallots, building up a nice fond.
Then the breasts went in the oven on a cookie sheet lined with non-stick foil.
I cooked the figs in the same pan in which I had done the shallots and chicken and then added the reduced port and broth mixture to it, deglazing the pan. I boiled it down a bit, as it was still too watery to make a good sauce.
All in all, the sauce tasted great, and the combination of flavors of the sauce, figs, chicken and chevre worked really well together. Just take care not to overcook the chicken.
mcsarcast
Good point. With the cheese and butter this should not be categorized as healthy. Not sure how it slipped into this photo gallery. Removing it now. Thanks for letting us know.
Jill (CHOW.com Kitchen)
how is this a healthy recipe?
This recipe would work without the figs, but you can take dried figs and soak them in warm water for an hour if you can find fresh figs.
I make this recipe and we loved it.
I have made this recipe a few times now. I pound the breasts a bit. The chicken cooks a little more quickly that way, but it cooks evenly, and it is a much simpler endeavor to keep the filling in the chicken breast; so, I prefer that method. I also believe this preparation distributes the ingredients in such a manner that the "ratio" problem of the first poster is fixed. Same amount of ingredients, but the perception is that there is a lot of filling.
Figs are seasonal around here; so, I've fixed this with and without figs. Personally, I love the figs. I think they are the finishing touch that makes this dish perfect, but my husband detests figs, and without them, this is his favorite dish. They're not part of the filling; so, it is simple to eliminate them from the recipe, and it is an excellent recipe sans figs. I miss them when I make it without them, but that's only because I remember what I'm missing. You'll still love it without the figs.
I don't think I can find figs around me. Do you think this would still taste good sans figs?
opps-obviously typo breasts!
I pounded the chicken breats and then filled them and rolled them up-perfection! I added some Aleppo Pepper just for a bit of top spice note.
Nice and simple Recipe..I like..
Will try this soon.
Maybe with a Pinot Noir?
I was inspired by this recipe and made something like like it for dinner a couple of nights ago. I must have made the pocket inside the chicken breast too small, because all the filling leaked out while I was cooking it. However, the filling developed a beautiful crust where it touched the pan. I called it "gigantic mistake chicken."
Made this last night, and it was mighty yummy. In an effort to stay local (as in my garden), we used mild onions instead of shallots and it was fine. Our chicken breast/filling ratio was a little off, I think - would recommend either using more filling or smaller breasts. One other suggestion: brine the breasts while making the filling. Ours were just a little dry. Otherwise, yum!