Last Updated May 15th, 2018 at 05:06 pm by Lisa
One pan Gorgonzola Leek Stuffed Chicken is a hit for entertaining, special occasions, or a romantic date night dinner.
Years ago, I learned this recipe at a cooking school. And over the years, I have made this amazing stuffed chicken countless times. An absolute favorite recipe for my friends and family.
For dinner, caramelize the stuffed chicken, drizzle with the easy pan sauce, and serve right away.
For entertaining, make the chicken and sauce, refrigerate, and finish in oven right before your party. You will be a kitchen superstar, relax, and enjoy being with your guests.
Isn’t this a gorgeous dish?
- 32 oz skinless/boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 2 cups thinly sliced leeks 1 small leek
- 1/2 cup gorgonzola crumbled
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves stems removed
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
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In a small bowl mix salt, pepper and paprika.
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In an extra-large heavy skillet, melt butter, salt, and pepper.
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Add the sliced leeks, and saute' over medium heat about 5-8 minutes until soft and light brown. Add 1/4 cup white wine, and cook 2 minutes over medium heat. Turn off heat, and transfer this mixture to a small mixing bowl and cool. Once cool, add 1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese, 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme. Mix until combined, set aside.
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On a cutting board, trim fat bits from chicken. Use a small paring knife to cut a pocket into each chicken breast. Start at the thickest end, place palm on top of the chicken, insert paring knife and carefully move knife back and forth to open a pocket without piercing all the way through to the other side.
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Using a regular teaspoon, fill the pocket with about 2-3 tablespoons of the leek stuffing mixture. Insert 2 toothpicks to close up the pocket. Sprinkle the dry season mix on both sides of the stuffed breasts.
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Heat extra-large skillet on medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, swirl around pan to coat.
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Place stuffed chicken breasts in pan and brown 6 minutes per side, or until nice golden color.
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Remove the golden brown breasts from the pan and rest on a platter. (don't clean the pan yet!)
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Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 1 cup chicken stock, this will thicken the pan sauce. In the same extra-large pan you sauteed the chicken, add the chopped shallot, and stir for about 2 minutes until soft. Add remaining white wine, chicken stock/cornstarch mixture, and fresh thyme leaves. Gently scrape brown bits from the pan using a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook the pan sauce for 5 minutes on medium heat until slightly thickened.
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Place the breasts back in the pan, turn the heat down to medium-low.
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Let chicken simmer in sauce on the stove for another 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
To make ahead for entertaining, date night, or parties: Brown the chicken, make the pan sauce, and cool the pan for 45 minutes on counter. Then cover the pan with chicken breasts and sauce, place in fridge until an hour before dinner. I used a small roasting pan with handles that fit into my fridge (my cooking pan wouldn't fit so check first). Pull out the roasting pan about 30 minutes before cooking, preheat oven to bake 375. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes. Be sure there are no toothpicks. This will finish cooking the chicken and heat the sauce. Serve on warm plates, spoon sauce on chicken, and garnish with thyme sprigs. Enjoy!
How to Clean and Slice Fresh Leeks:
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- Step 1: Cut off the white root ends, slice up the middle keeping dark green ends on and place in large bowl of cool water with a splash of white vinegar.
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- Step 2: The dark green ends hold the leeks together, continue to swish around and wash in the water bowl.
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- Step 3: Next, slice into halves, and slice off the dark green tops. Put clean water in the bowl. Store clean green tops for homemade stock.
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- Step 4: Swish leek halves in water, and flip or separate leaves to wash until water is clean.
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- Step 5: Remove halves, and slice in half again on cutting board so now you have quarters.
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- Slice leeks into 1/4″ thin strips. 1 large leek will = 4 cups sliced. Cleaned sliced leeks store perfectly in the freezer in zip lock bags.
Make Chicken Breast Pockets for Stuffing:
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- lay boneless chicken breast on cutting board. Trim any extra bits of fat. Rest the palm of your hand/or finger tips on top of the chicken breast.
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- on thick end of breast, push paring knife into the breast without cutting through outside the chicken breast.
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- carefully slide the paring knife back and forth to open up the pocket without cutting through the other side.
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- about 2 tablespoons of gorgonzola leek stuffing with fit in the pocket. Secure with 2 toothpicks to keep filling inside while cooking.
Make The Gorgonzola Leek Stuffing:
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- In an extra-large heavy skillet, melt butter, salt, and pepper. Add the sliced leaks and saute’ over medium heat about 10 minutes, until soft and light lt browned.
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- Add 2 tablespoons of white wine, and reduce the liquid until almost all evaporated. Transfer this mixture to a medium mixing bowl and cool.
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- Add 2 cups of gorgonzola cheese, 2 teaspoon of fresh thyme. This gorgonzola leek filling is so simple, yet takes this recipe over the top!
Next, Stuff and Season Chicken Breasts:
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- season mix is simply paprika, kosher sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper.
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- secure each chicken breast with 2 toothpicks, be sure to remove before serving.
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- sprinkle the season mix on both sides.
Caramelize Stuffed Chicken Breasts:
After the chicken is caramelized and brown, rest them on a plate. Next, you will make the easy pan sauce, that is worth every bit of time it takes to pull together.
Make the Pan Sauce:
Then place the chicken back into the pan, remove the toothpicks, and at this point you could cool it down and keep refrigerated until your ready to pop into the oven to finish cooking or reheat for your party.
Oh my gosh, this recipe always gets me hungry!
Let me list the reasons I LOVE this recipe:
perfect for a romantic date night dinner
one pan (and a tiny bowl) to clean
make it ahead for entertaining
deep amazing delicious flavors
people ask for the recipe
inexpensive ingredients
looks gorgeous
And….this pan sauce, oh my it is just that good…
And there you have it, my friends. Yes, this recipe has a few steps. But, when you take a bite of this chicken for the first time, I bet you will make it again and again. Happy cooking!
All The Best Dishes,
Lisa
XO
Some great side dishes that you will love with this recipe, serve these Elegant Crispy Baby Potatoes….heaven
(They are easy, pretty, and you can make ahead!)
Or Grilled Asparagus Gremolata, gremolata is a topping for vegetables, fish, or meat made from yummy things…flat-leaf parsley, bell pepper, capers, fresh basil leaves, toasted pine nuts or pistachios. It is so fresh, healthy and delicious on grilled asparagus.
Get more recipe ideas on cooking with leeks and take a look at this helpful kitchen tip on Leeks: How To Trim, Clean, and Slice
These are melt in your mouth good. I love that you can do most of the labor ahead and then just pop it in the oven the next day. Those are the best kinds of recipes short of having Lisa at your house to make it all. 🙂