Smoked Gouda stuffed Chicken with Lime Honey Apple Slaw

Smoked Gouda Stuffed Chicken with Lime Honey Apple Slaw

 

 Ingredient List

4 - medium chicken breast

4 - 1oz slices of smoked Gouda or your favorite cheese
garlic powder
Cajun seasoning (or omit if you don't like spicy)
Italian herb seasoning
salt & pepper

for the apple slaw
2 granny smith apple (Julienne)
1/2 head savoy cabbage (shredded with a knife)
thinly shaved red onion (best done on a mandolin)

for the slaw dressing
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon honey
Salt & Pepper to taste

First make the slaw, very easy and quick, make the slaw dressing by combining all ingredients in a bowl except the oil. slowly drizzle in the oil while stirring with a wire whisk until mixed in and season with salt and pepper to taste, set aside

If you have a mandolin, core the apple and cut in half. Julienne on  the madoline or use a knife. and this is what it will look like.

chill until ready to plate

Next for the chicken:
you will want to to cut a pocket in the chicken to make room for the cheese as pictured below but make sure not to cut all the way through the flesh. It's easiest to put one hand on the chicken and then insert the knife starting at the top of the breast. insert 3/4 into the breast along the side of the breast and then lightly cut to the other side...

this will leave a pocket that is about 4 inches into the meat by 1.5"

Next cut the cheese about 1/4" thick and 1"x3" long and wide and insert a piece into each breast

 

make sure the cheese is not sticking out but totally enclosed in the meat. Next season each breast by  drizzling with a little olive oil and dusting with the garlic powder, Italian herbs, salt & pepper and Cajun seasoning.

In a medium high non stick skillet, add 2 Tbs of olive oil and add the breast to brown on both sides, do in batches if needed so not to crowd the pan. Brown on both sides and place on a foil lined cookie sheet and place in a 375 oven. Its best to use an oven thermometer and bake until you reach 165 degrees. take out and cover with a sheet of foil and let rest for 5 minutes. 

Now for the plating - any sides work so for a week night I went very easy.  Bob Evans already made sour cream and chive mashed potatoes and a bag of already cut broccoli steamed in the microwave.. I added extra fresh cut chives for a garnish.  and the sauce is just some of the pan drippings over the chicken for a bit more flavor!

This all took about 40 minutes to make and isn't hard at all. If you have questions ask with a comment

To plate:

put the mash in the 1 o'clock position and the broccoli in the 12 o'clock position. cut the chicken breast in half  on the byas and stack on each other like below and top with the slaw.