Lemon Goat Cheese Chicken

Wow these past two weeks have been so exhausting. I haven't been able to even look at my blog, but I did manage to cook up some delicious recipes for my best friend and I during finals. After a really stressful semester, I'm happy to say I have completed my Junior year at Willamette University in Oregon and am back home in Malibu, CA enjoying the sun and everyone around me. 

 Seeing as how life was sort of put on hold, this chicken recipe has been sitting in my iPhoto for over a week now, but I sure do think about it a lot. I stumbled upon this goat cheese chicken rendition on a website called Real Simple and immediately wanted to make it with the leftover sweet potato mash from my previous post. Always use your leftovers! 

I know, you're probably thinking, goat cheese and sweet potato?! What craziness have you come up with again? Well, just trust me. The tangy flavor of the cheese with the mildly sweet vegetable was so delicious, I literally dream about it. You will want to make it again immediately after you finish consuming every bite.

 I decided to add a side of roasted brussels sprouts that I cooked in the oven at 400 degrees. I cut them lengthwise, removed their stems, tossed them in a little olive and sprinkled pepper and salt before placing them in the preheated oven. (These were exceptional with the goat cheese sauce.)

 In a skillet, the chicken breasts cook with the olive oil and minced garlic for 3-5 minutes on each side.

 After 15-20 minutes, I tossed the brussels sprouts in the oven so they would cook evenly and removed them when they reached their desired crispiness around 30-40 minutes.

 When the chicken breasts were removed from the already thickened chicken broth, lemon, thyme sauce base, I placed the goat cheese in the pan to melt and combine. 

 Once the sauce fully combines, place the chicken back in the pan to coat and to absorb the flavor. I let sit for about 1-2 minutes. Almost done!

 Assemble the plate with your side dishes. Like I mentioned before, I decided to use my leftover sweet potato mash as a bed for the chicken (highly recommended). Then, lay the breast over the sweet potato and spoon however much goat cheese sauce you prefer on top. I am a HUGE lover of cheese, especially goat, so I added a substantial amount so that there was enough for the brussel sprouts as well.

And there you have it! The finished product. Lemony goat cheese chicken on top of sweet potato accompanied by roasted brussels sprouts. I think I might make this again tonight...why not?! You will absolutely love it!

Goat Cheese Chicken:

from Real Simple 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbs of olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled & minced

1 tsp of salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

4 ounces of soft goat cheese

Directions:

Using a rolling pin, pound the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of wax paper until uniform thickness so they can cook evenly. Then heat the oil and garlic in a large pan over medium heat until the garlic browns. (make sure to not burn.)

Add the chicken breasts and cook on each side for about 3 to 5 minutes. Then add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, thyme and lemon zest. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 3 minutes longer or until the chicken is fork-tender.

Remove chicken to a platter and keep warm while thickening the sauce. Increase the heat to high, allowing the mixture to boil and gradually thicken. It will become a syrup-like texture after 3-5 minutes when you will finally add the goat cheese. Once the sauce thickens and the cheese fully melts, place the chicken breasts back into the pan to coat. Now the chicken is ready to serve with your chosen side dish.

*As for the sweet potato recipe, refer back to the previous post, Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos for cooking instructions.

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. of Brussels Sprouts

3 tbs. of olive oil

salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut off the ends of the sprouts and slice lengthwise. Toss lightly in olive oil and crack pepper and salt on top. Place them on a cooking sheet and roast for 35-40 minutes. Toss them a few times so they reach desired crispiness. If you'd like, sprinkle with a little extra salt at the end.