Grape-Stuffed Chicken with Lemon Orzo

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Published on Midwest Living (http://www.midwestliving.com)

Grape-Stuffed Chicken with Lemon Orzo

Grape-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Lemon Orzo

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Makes: 4 servings
Prep 25 mins
Cook 9 mins
Bake 15 mins to 18 mins

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (6 to 7 ounces each)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dark purple and/or red seedless grapes, quartered
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
Sea or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dried orzo
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions

Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket in each chicken breast by cutting horizontally through the thickest portion to, but not through, the opposite side.
For filling: In a small bowl combine, 1/4 cup of the cheese, the grapes, pecans, butter, green onion, rosemary, cardamom and lemon pepper. Spoon filling into each pocket. Secure with two or three toothpicks through the open edges of the chicken to keep the filling from falling out. Sprinkle stuffed chicken breasts on both sides with salt and black pepper.
In a large cast-iron skillet or an oven-going skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add stuffed chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the bottoms are golden. Turn and cook for 5 minutes more.
Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degrees F oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees ). Remove toothpicks before serving.
Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package directions; drain. Return orzo to hot pan; toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, the lemon peel, lemon juice and parsley. Serve hot with chicken; if you like, slice chicken breast before serving to reveal stuffing. Spoon over pan juices and, if you like, garnish with a lemon wedge.

Nutrition Facts

(Grape-Stuffed Chicken with Lemon Orzo)

Servings Per Recipe 4, vit. A (IU) 632, Thiamin (mg) 0, vit. C (mg) 9, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 3, Monosaturated fat (g) 11, sugar (g) 5, fiber (g) 3, calcium (mg) 141, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0, sat. fat (g) 7, iron (mg) 3, chol. (mg) 95, Potassium (mg) 538, pro. (g) 34, Niacin (mg) 12, carb. (g) 37, sodium (mg) 430, Riboflavin (mg) 0, Folate (µg) 117, cal. (kcal) 500, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 1, Fat, total (g) 24, Mark as Free Exchange () 0

Source URL (retrieved on May 25, 2013): http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/grape-stuffed-chicken-with-lemon-orzo/

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