Goat Cheese and Date Stuffed Chicken

This original recipe I came up with a few years ago while hosting company will impress at any dinner party or romantic dinner for two

Do you have an occasion coming up that requires you to impress with a home cooked recipe? Want to make something other than the boring stand by that you always fix for company? This recipe will do just the trick

---

The combination of sweet, salty, savory and creamy in this entree will intrigue your guests and have them thinking you spent hours slaving away making this surprisingly simple recipe. Pair it with an au gratin potato, a nice fresh salad and a buttery chardonnay and you will have a dinner to remember.

Ingredients

This recipe makes four servings. You will need:

1. Four medium sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2. Two packs (enough to wrap all breasts) of prosciutto (substitute uncured bacon if needed)

3. One 4 oz package of soft, spreadable goat cheese

4. 3/4 cup of dried dates, pitted and chopped

5. Two sprigs fresh rosemary, minced

6. 1 tbs fresh thyme leaves

7. 1 clove garlic, minced

8. Salt, pepper and granulated garlic to taste

9. 3 tbs olive oil

10. Toothpicks

11. Parchment paper

Preheat a convection oven to 350 degrees, 375 if using a non convection oven

Butterfly the chicken breasts so that they are all flat. Season with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Set aside.

Combine the chopped dates and goat cheese in a medium mixing bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan and add the rosemary, minced garlic, thyme and cook until herbs are slightly golden. Add this mixture while still hot to the bowl with the goat cheese and dates and fold until combined.

Take a silicone spatula and spread a thin to medium layer of the mixture on one side of each of the chicken breasts

Fold the chicken breast back together, fully covering the mixture

Wrap each chicken breast fully with the prosciutto, using the toothpicks to hold it in place as needed.

Place breasts onto a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake the chicken for 35-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads at 165 degrees and the prosciutto looks a little crisp