CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH SHIITAKES AND PROVOLONE

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Shiitakes and Provolone image

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

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1 (6-oz) piece provolone
6 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
1/4 cup chopped shallot (1 large)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 chicken breast halves with skin and bones (2 1/2 to 3 lb total)

Steps:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F. Line a shallow baking pan with foil.
Coarsely grate cheese and set aside in a medium bowl. Pulse mushrooms and shallot in a food processor with thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until finely chopped.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushroom mixture, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir into cheese (some cheese will melt).
Pat chicken dry, then cut a deep 3-inch-long pocket horizontally in long curved side of each chicken breast half and fill each pocket with one fourth of cheese mixture (some filling will be visible).
Put chicken in baking pan, then melt remaining tablespoon butter and brush over chicken. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast until cooked through and cheese is melted (filling will ooze), 20 to 25 minutes.