This dish is perfect for a special occasion or a weeknight dinner when you want to impress your guests or family with a gourmet meal. The combination of the sweet and savory flavors, along with the vibrant colors, makes it visually appealing as well. Serve the Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Green Olives with a side of vegetables or a fresh salad for a complete and satisfying meal.
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- Pinch of saffron (about 20 threads)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. mild honey, such as clover
- 1/2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 large clove garlic, crushed and peeled
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, very coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup pitted green olives, such as manzanilla
- 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
- 4 split skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts (3 to 3 1/2 lb.)
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
- Soak the saffron in 2 tsp. hot water for 5 minutes. In a food processor, purée the saffron and soaking water with the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, garlic, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and parsley. Pulse to form a coarsely chopped stuffing (it should be coarser than pesto).
- If any of the backbone is still attached to the chicken, cut it off with poultry shears. Trim off the side flap with rib meat and bones. Use your finger to make a small opening between the skin and the flesh of the breasts. Run your finger under the skin to separate it from the breasts, making a pocket and being careful not to detach the edges of the skin. Stuff the tomato mixture into the pocket, distributing it evenly over the chicken. Pat the skin back in place and season with 1 tsp. salt and pepper.
- Line a heavy-duty, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Roast the chicken on the baking sheet until the juices run clear and a meat thermometer registers 165°F, about 30 minutes.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
PER SERVING
- 550 CALORIES | 60G PROTEIN | 5G CARB | 31G TOTAL FAT | 7G SAT FAT |
17G MONO FAT | 5G POLY FAT | 165MG CHOL | 570MG SODIUM | 1G FIBER
NOTE:
- Originally produced in Italy as a way to preserve abundant tomato crops for the winter months, chewy sun dried tomatoes add deep flavor to this dish.
MORE ABOUT SAFFRON:
- A key ingredient in bouillabaisse and paella, saffron has the reputation of being the most expensive spice by weight in the world. The stigma of a little purple perennial crocus flower, it must be gathered by hand during a harvest that lasts just a couple of weeks in the fall, and there are only three stigmas per blossom. It takes about 75,000 flowers to yield a pound of saffron. Fortunately, a pinch (about 20 threads) is usually all it takes to impart saffron’s distinctive yellow color and vaguely metallic, dried alfalfa hay, and bittersweet wildflower honey flavor.
BUYING
- When buying saffron, keep two rules in mind. First, buy it in threads only. Powdered saffron can contain other products, and it’s difficult to know whether you’re buying the pure spice. Second, look for saffron that contains only short, deep red threads; this grade is sometimes called coupé. Lesser grades of saffron include threads with some yellow areas (which is the style part of the flower). The yellow part doesn’t have the same coloring and flavoring power as the red stigmas, so the saffron isn’t as potent.
PREPPING
- Liquid helps draw out the flavor and color from saffron, so crumble it directly into broths, sauces, or soups. If using in something less fluid, let it steep in a little hot water for a few minutes first and add the water and saffron to the dish. You can also infuse oil with saffron, but the flavor and color won’t come through as well as they do in water.
STORING
- Stored in a sealed container in a dark place, saffron should last a couple of years before the flavor starts to diminish.
