Christmas week.
IT'S ON.
Even the bathroom has a sweet little decoration.
The presents are not only bought but WRAPPED. I'm very motivated to have a relaxing Christmas Eve for once.
We will be doing BBQ for our Christmas dinner, but if you're on the fence about what to make for a meal, let me throw this goat cheese stuffed chicken into the mix. It looks fancy but comes together quickly and it tastes excellent. I'm not a huge cheese fan, but I will chow down goat cheese in a car. I will eat it near and far. I will...you get the picture.
Goat Cheese and Herb Stuffed Chicken
4 6ish-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts- the plumper the better
6 oz goat cheese, room temperature
6 oz Neufchatel cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat together both types of cheese, parsley, thyme, and garlic until smooth. Set aside. Cut slits across the chicken breasts (the short way) about 2 centimeters apart. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, stuff bits of cheese mixture into each slit. Cram in as much as you can- it's plenty ok if it looks messy. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into whatever part of the chicken is thickest registers at least 165 degrees. The cheese and the breadcrumbs will have started to turn golden brown.
For a side, I tossed fresh broccoli florets with equal parts this garlic aioli mustard + olive oil and roasted at 400 for...I don't know. Until they were browned.
I also roasted some sweet potatoes (olive oil + salt + pepper). So simple, but so good.
My husband is only pretending to be candid.
Makes four servings. Per serving: 433 calories, 5 grams carbohydrates, 22 grams fat, 46 grams protein, 935 mg sodium.
Merry Christmas to all!