Chicken Dinner

This is a recipe which just begs for the grill. Once we get through the current round of storms, I'm planning to get mine out and use it to make this on the weekend, with grilled veggies and a lemon juice reduction. If you don't love goat cheese, this may not appeal to you. But the combination of chevre and chicken with lots of herbs is plenty beguiling if we are willing to be a little experimental. This is toothsome served with couscous and the aforementioned grilled veggies. I'm going to check the Farmer's Market this Saturday to see if I can pick up some fresh chevre from one of the local artisanal cheesemakers. Oh, chevre's great on Triscuits, by the way, with a glass of wine before dinner.

The nicoise olives really make this dish and it is worth making the effort to find them. They are tiny and I can buy them in small (and pricey) jars in the gourmet shops here. The link will take you to a mail order source.

I had them for the first time in Provence. The wine bars have little bowls of them all over the place and they are addictive. And I look for excuses to use them in cooking. Pitted, they are dynamite with capers in a spaghetti carbonara.

Grilled Chicken and Chevre with Herbs
Serves 4

8 ounces soft goat cheese
1/4 cup chopped nicoise olives
1 red pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large boneless chicken breast, pounded very thin
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat your grill. Mix together the goat cheese, olives, red pepper and thyme in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay each breast out and fill with the cheese mixture. Brush the breasts with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste, secure with toothpicks. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

CILANTRO SAUCE

1/4 cup red onion, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup spinach leaves
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a blender, combine the onion and lime juice and blend until smooth. While the blender is running, add the oil slowly until emulsified. Add the spinach and cilantro and blend until smooth. Add the honey and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature as a dipping or drizzling sauce with the chicken.