Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts

John has grilled out a million times this summer - it's been so fun!  We've had lots of casual dinner parties here and one recipe that we've made at least four times this summer is Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts.  John found the recipe in Weber's Big Book of Grilling, which in our house is the equivalent of my Joy of Cooking...it's like the grilling Bible!  We turn to it a lot of times for simple recipes that don't make appearances on the blog, but you've seen Beer Can Chicken and Red Snapper Fajitas, both from Weber's Big Book of Grilling, in the past.

This chicken is so flavorful and it's all due to the stuffing.  Full of bold, Mediterranean flavors, it's a really nice, hearty meal that can be accompanied with simple sides so as not to compete with the intense seasoning.

Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Recipe Source: Weber's Big Book of Grilling

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the stuffing:

2 tablespooons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 7 oz jar artichoke hearts

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

3 tablespoons minced sun dried tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (from our garden!)

4 large boneless chicken breasts (we use skinless, recipe calls for with skin)

extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

For the stuffing:

Saute the olive oil, thyme, and red pepper flakes for about 2 minutes.   Drain, rinse, and chop the artichoke hearts and add to the mixture along with garlic, salt, and pepper.  Saute for 3 - 4 minutes, and remove from heat.  Add the goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil.  Mix thoroughly and allow to cool.

For the chicken:

Place the chicken breasts in plastic bags and pound with a meat mallet, to flatten to about 1/4" thick.  Remove from bags and spread each with a quarter of the stuffing.  Fold the breasts in half over the stuffing and use toothpicks to close them.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Grill the breasts over direct medium heat until the juices run clear and the cheese is melted, turning once halfway through grilling.  Remove from grill and remove toothpicks before serving.