Asparagus and Ricotta Stuffed Chicken

By mmcspencer

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup ricotta
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 4 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• Four 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 stalks thin asparagus
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the ricotta, Parmesan and lemon zest in a small bowl.
With the chicken on a cutting board, put the flat of your hand on top of the chicken breast. Carefully cut the breast horizontally three quarters of the way through with a very sharp knife. Then open the breast like a book and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Spread one quarter of the ricotta filling inside each chicken. Snap the bottom off 3 of the asparagus stalks to fit the length of the chicken, allowing for a little of the tips to point out the top. Fold the chicken over the filling and secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle the top with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken top side down and brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and put the pan in the oven. Bake until the chicken registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer and the chicken is golden, about 20 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and remove the toothpicks. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Put the pan over medium-high heat. Skim any large globs of ricotta that may have fallen into the pan. Whisk in the chicken broth and mustard, scraping up any pan drippings; it’s OK if there’s still some ricotta in the sauce. Simmer the sauce for about 2 minutes, and then pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve over the chicken and serve.