Stuffed Chicken with Tangerine Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time: About 1 hour
Tips: Tangerines, cuties or clementines may be used with this recipe. Remove any visible seeds prior to adding to stuffing.
Stuffed Chicken with Tangerine Sauce is a light and flavorful dish made with flattened chicken breasts stuffed with a mixture of seasoned bread stuffing, tangerine zest, tangerine pieces,
slivered almonds, diced green onions and thyme. These stuffed chicken breasts are topped with freshly squeezed tangerine juice (cuties or clementines, also referred to as mandarin oranges, can also be used) that blends with with the natural juices from the chicken and seasoned stuffing during baking. This creates a wonderful savory and citrus-flavored sauce that is drizzled over the top when served. The slivered almonds also give this dish a wonderful tender crunch.
This chicken dish is easy to make, requiring a minimum amount of preparation. You can use any type of prepared stuffing mix you prefer. Pounding the breasts only takes minutes and will also help to tenderize the chicken breasts. Helpful tip: It's a good idea to check for seeds in the tangerine or mandarin orange pieces before mixing in with the stuffing mixture.
This chicken dish is easy to make, requiring a minimum amount of preparation. You can use any type of prepared stuffing mix you prefer. Pounding the breasts only takes minutes and will also help to tenderize the chicken breasts. Helpful tip: It's a good idea to check for seeds in the tangerine or mandarin orange pieces before mixing in with the stuffing mixture.
Recipe▼
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup prepared stuffing mix
- 1/4 teaspoon dried crumbled or ground thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon grated tangerine (or cuties or clementines) zest (finely grated peel)
- 2 tangerines (or cuties or clementines), peeled, seeded and cut into bite-size chunks
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Rinse and pat-dry chicken breasts. One at a time, place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of wax paper and flatten with a meat pounder, using new wax paper sheets if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine stuffing mix, thyme, tangerine peel, tangerine pieces, green onion, almonds, butter and 3 tablespoons of the tangerine juice. Pile 1/4 of stuffing mixture on each breast (about 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon for each breast). Fold edges over and secure with wooden toothpicks (if necessary, fold up sides and secure with toothpicks as well).
Place breasts in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Pour remaining tangerine juice over chicken breasts. Cover with casserole dish cover or aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover (or aluminum foil) and bake for 30 minutes longer, basting 2 or 3 times with juice. Remove chicken to serving platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Pour pan drippings into a small saucepan and boil for about 3 minutes until reduced to about 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Drizzle sauce over chicken breasts and serve.
Rinse and pat-dry chicken breasts. One at a time, place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of wax paper and flatten with a meat pounder, using new wax paper sheets if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine stuffing mix, thyme, tangerine peel, tangerine pieces, green onion, almonds, butter and 3 tablespoons of the tangerine juice. Pile 1/4 of stuffing mixture on each breast (about 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon for each breast). Fold edges over and secure with wooden toothpicks (if necessary, fold up sides and secure with toothpicks as well).
Place breasts in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Pour remaining tangerine juice over chicken breasts. Cover with casserole dish cover or aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover (or aluminum foil) and bake for 30 minutes longer, basting 2 or 3 times with juice. Remove chicken to serving platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Pour pan drippings into a small saucepan and boil for about 3 minutes until reduced to about 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Drizzle sauce over chicken breasts and serve.
