SPICED MATZO-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

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Spiced Matzo-Stuffed Chicken Breasts image

Provided by Melissa Roberts

Categories     Chicken     Bake     Sauté     Passover     Dinner     Raisin     Pistachio     Spring     Healthy     Kosher     Kosher for Passover     Gourmet     Dairy Free     Peanut Free     Soy Free

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups packaged matzo farfel (small pieces of matzo)
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon hot paprika or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 boneless chicken breast halves with skin (about 3 pounds)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon potato starch

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 425°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
  • Cook onion and bell pepper in 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
  • While onion mixture cooks, rinse matzo farfel in a colander under warm running water until softened, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain, pressing gently to extract excess water.
  • Remove onion mixture from heat and stir in farfel, pistachios, raisins, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Whisk together eggs and 3/4 cup broth, then stir into farfel mixture.
  • Set aside 1 1/2 cups stuffing and transfer remainder to a generously oiled 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.
  • Bake stuffing in dish in lower third of oven until set and golden, about 30 minutes.
  • While stuffing bakes, stir together spices with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
  • Insert a paring knife horizontally into middle of thicker end of each chicken breast half, stopping about 1 inch from opposite end, then open incision with your finger to create a 1-inch-wide pocket. Pack 3 tablespoons stuffing into each pocket. Pat chicken dry and add to spices, tossing to coat.
  • Straddle a large flameproof roasting pan across 2 burners, then add remaining 3 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear chicken, skin side down, until skin is deep golden, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over, then roast in upper third of oven until just cooked through, 16 to 20 minutes.
  • Transfer chicken to a platter and straddle roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Stir in 3/4 cup broth. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup broth and potato starch and whisk into sauce, then cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. Let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and discard fat (or use a fat separator). Season sauce with salt.

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