Mushroom and Tarragon Stuffed Chicken

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Ingredients

  • 2 skinless chicken breast fillets
  • 4 large mushrooms
  • 1 baby leek, finely sliced
  • 75g ricotta or Philadelphia cream cheese
  • 40g butter or margerine
  • 20g dried porcini mushrooms
  • small handful of tarragon, roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves of smoked garlic, or 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or crushed
  • 2 tbsp mushroom ketchup (optional)
  • salt & pepper
  • 4 cocktail sticks

Method

Put the porcini mushrooms into a mug or cup and fill the cup with boiling water to rehydrate the dried mushrooms.

Chop the fresh mushrooms very finely (pieces should be about the size of peas) and fry them with the leek and garlic in about 30g of butter. When brown, transfer mixture to a small mixing bowl. Allow to cool slightly.

Drain the porcini mushrooms and chop them. Add the porcini mushrooms and cheese to the mushroom and leek mixture and stir together. Place in the fridge to cool and set.

Preheat an oven to 180°C. Grease a small baking try with the remaining butter.

With a sharp knife, butterfly the chicken breasts. Fill each breast with 2—3 tbsp of the mushroom mixture. (Any remaining mushroom mixture can be saved for the next day and spread on toast!) Secure each breast with 2 cocktail sticks and place in the baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes and serve with pasta.