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Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Chicken

A comforting and elegant dish featuring savory herbs, creamy ricotta, and a luscious white wine pan sauce, paired with creamy mashed cauliflower.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort food
Calories: 540
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chicken
  • 4-6 pieces skin-on chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
  • 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup shredded gouda cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 small shallots, halved
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 cup cremini mushrooms, halved, if large
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
  • 1/2 cup apple cider
For the mashed cauliflower
  • 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2-3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease an oven-safe skillet with olive oil.
  2. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, gouda, 1 tablespoon of thyme, 1 tablespoon of sage, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. Loosen the skin of the chicken breast with your fingertips. Stuff about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture underneath the skin of each breast.
  4. Rub the chicken skin with olive oil and season with 1 tablespoon thyme, 1 tablespoon sage, salt, and pepper.
  5. Place the chicken in the prepared skillet. Arrange the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms around the chicken. Drizzle olive oil over the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.
Cooking
  1. Roast for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
  2. Remove from the oven and plate the chicken and mushrooms.
  3. In the same skillet with shallots and garlic, add butter and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until browned.
  4. Add the wine and cider to the skillet, boiling for 5 minutes until reduced by half.
  5. Place the chicken and mushrooms back into the skillet and simmer for 1 minute before removing from heat.
Mashed Cauliflower
  1. Boil a large pot of water and add the cauliflower florets. Cook until tender (about 10 minutes). Drain well.
  2. In a food processor, combine cauliflower, garlic, cream cheese, and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper, pulsing until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute).
Serving
  1. Spoon the mashed cauliflower onto plates, add chicken and mushrooms, and top with the pan sauce and fresh thyme.

Notes

Make sure to loosen the skin of the chicken carefully to prevent tearing. Feel free to adjust the herbs according to your preference; rosemary or parsley work well too. For a lighter version, substitute the cream cheese in the mashed cauliflower with unsweetened Greek yogurt. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat before serving.