Chicken Breast Stuffed with Walnut-Mint-Raisin Bulgur, Honey-Glazed Carrots, Beet Green Tzatziki
Walnuts, honey, bulgur, chicken all together in a delicious, healthy, easy dish. For a lovingly curated array of Greek ingredients to pair with this recipe, check out my online store here.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coarse bulgur
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 tablespoons walnuts
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons dark seedless raisins
- 4 dried Greek figs chopped
- Grated zest of 1 small orange
- 2 tablespoons coarsely grated kefalograviera or parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for the frying pan
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 large carrot pared and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds or ovals
- 1 medium onions halved and thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons Greek honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fig balsamic
- For the beet green tzatziki
- 1/2 pound / 250 g beet greens trimmed and coarsely chopped
- Salt
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Make the bulgur stuffing
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Place the bulgur in a small bowl and add the water. Cover and let stand until the bulgur absorbs all the water, about 45 minutes. You can do this the previous day, too, and store bulgur in the refrigerator.
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Place the walnuts and garlic in the bowl of a small food processor and pulse to get a coarse, grainy paste. Add the mint, parsley, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and parmesan or kefalograviera cheese. Pulse to make a paste. Remove and transfer to a mixing bowl using a rubber spatula.
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Add the bulgur, raisins and chopped figs to the bowl. Toss to combine.
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Using a sharp small knife, make an incision on the fattest side of each of the breasts to form a pocket. Divide the filling into four equal amounts and stuff each of the breasts. Secure closed with toothpicks.
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Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Brown the breasts on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots and onions to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Stir gently with a wooden spoon. Pour in the orange juice and fig balsamic. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook the chicken and carrot-onion mixture together for about 12 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan. Add a little water if necessary. Add the honey. Continue simmering until the chicken is done, turning it at least once so that it acquires a nice glazed finish on both sides.
While the chicken is cooking, make the beet green tzatziki
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Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous tablespoon of salt. Separate the cut beet green stems from the leaves. Blanch the chopped stems first, for about 8 minutes, until tender but still al dente; add the greens. Continue simmering until tender, another 5 - 7 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water or place immediately in an ice bath to cool down. Drain well.
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Mix the blanched beet greens and stems with the yogurt, garlic, salt, and vinegar.
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Serve one stuffed breast per portion, a few carrots and onions, and a little of the beet green tzatziki.
Love chicken? Check out my online class “Wing It! – Great Mediterranean Chicken!“
