The combination of fresh sage, nuts, cheese and dried pears is always a winner and soooo lekker with chicken. This may seem like a slightly strange combination of ingredients, but the chicken works well with all the sweet aromas.

Recipe

Chicken fillets with a pear & cheese stuffing

Recipe adapted from Make five/Maak vyf
Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients

Filling

150 ml finely grated pecorino cheese

125 ml (½ cup) flaked almonds, roasted (see tips)

30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh sage, thyme leaves or Italian parsley

6 soft dried pears, finely chopped

30 ml (2 tbsp) smooth cottage cheese, low-fat cream cheese or olive oil

lemon juice, salt and pepper

Chicken

6-8 chicken breast fillets

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

45 ml (3 tbsp) white wine or apple juice

Method

1. Filling: Mix the filling ingredients together and season to taste.
2. Chicken: Cut a slit into one side of each fillet to make a small pocket for the filling. Season the opening with a few drops of lemon juice, salt and pepper.
3. Divide filling between the fillets and secure the opening with toothpicks.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and pan-fry fillets in batches until golden-brown on both sides. Place all the fillets back in the pan.
5. Add the liquid, cover with a lid and reduce the heat. Due to the fact that the fillets are filled, they will need to cook for 10-12 minutes. Make sure they are cooked through but still juicy. Season to taste.
6. Serve with a veggie or salad and garnish with extra fresh sage. Roasted beetroot and rocket will be delicious with this chicken.

Tips

1. Roast almonds over a medium heat in a dry pan until golden brown, but take care, as they burn easily.
2. Use mature cheddar in place of pecorino.
3. Fill pork steaks with the same filling and fry in the same way as the chicken. Depending on how thick the steaks are, they will simmer with the lid on for 12-15 minutes. The stuffing can also be used as a filling in an omelette.

This recipe was shared as part of a food article in Spring 2023, for LiG Tydskrif.
Images by Adel Ferreira.