This delicious Barefoot Contessa Chicken with Goat Cheese and Basil is a simple, creamy, and flavour-packed dish. Perfect for a quick dinner, it combines tender chicken with tangy goat cheese and fresh basil. With just a few common ingredients, it’s an easy, crowd-pleasing meal that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients Needed
- 6 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
- 225 to 280g garlic-and-herb goat cheese (e.g., Montrachet)
- 6 large fresh basil leaves
- Good olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
How To Make Chicken With Goat Cheese And Basil
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Prepare the chicken: Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan. Gently loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, leaving one side still attached.
- Add goat cheese and basil: Slice the goat cheese into 1.5 cm thick slices. Place 1 or 2 slices of goat cheese and a large basil leaf under the skin of each chicken breast.
- Cover and season: Pull the skin back over the cheese and basil, ensuring it covers as much of the meat as possible. Rub the chicken with olive oil, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Bake the chicken: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the skin is lightly browned and the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve: Serve the chicken hot or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip loosening the skin: Be sure to carefully loosen the skin from the chicken. This helps to keep the meat moist and allows the cheese and basil to infuse more flavour.
- Use fresh basil: Fresh basil gives a fragrant and vibrant taste. Dried basil won’t provide the same fresh kick.
- Choose high-quality goat cheese: Opt for garlic-and-herb goat cheese to bring out the best flavour in this dish. It makes a big difference!
- Season generously: Be generous with salt and pepper. It brings out the flavours in both the chicken and the filling.
- Don’t overcook: Bake until the chicken is just cooked through. Overcooking can dry it out, making the dish less juicy and tender.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Place leftover chicken with goat cheese and Basil in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Wrap leftover chicken with goat cheese and Basil tightly in plastic wrap or foil and place it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover chicken with goat cheese and basil in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes, covered with foil to prevent drying out, until heated through.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 chicken breast)
- Calories: 185.7 kcal
- Total Fat: 10.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Potassium: 300 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0 g
- Sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 22 g
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Barefoot Contessa chicken with goat cheese and Basil
Description
This delicious Barefoot Contessa Chicken with Goat Cheese and Basil is a simple, creamy, and flavour-packed dish. Perfect for a quick dinner, it combines tender chicken with tangy goat cheese and fresh basil. With just a few common ingredients, it’s an easy, crowd-pleasing meal that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Prepare the chicken: Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan. Gently loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, leaving one side still attached.
- Add goat cheese and basil: Slice the goat cheese into 1.5 cm thick slices. Place 1 or 2 slices of goat cheese and a large basil leaf under the skin of each chicken breast.
- Cover and season: Pull the skin back over the cheese and basil, ensuring it covers as much of the meat as possible. Rub the chicken with olive oil, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Bake the chicken: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the skin is lightly browned and the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve: Serve the chicken hot or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t skip loosening the skin: Be sure to carefully loosen the skin from the chicken. This helps to keep the meat moist and allows the cheese and basil to infuse more flavour.
- Use fresh basil: Fresh basil gives a fragrant and vibrant taste. Dried basil won’t provide the same fresh kick.
- Choose high-quality goat cheese: Opt for garlic-and-herb goat cheese to bring out the best flavour in this dish. It makes a big difference!
- Season generously: Be generous with salt and pepper. It brings out the flavours in both the chicken and the filling.
- Don’t overcook: Bake until the chicken is just cooked through. Overcooking can dry it out, making the dish less juicy and tender.
Barefoot Contessa chicken with goat cheese and Basil