Chicken with ricotta and tomato vinaigrette. That sounds very Italien/Mediterranean, doesn’t it? The chives also give a little Scandinavian touch.
I know. Chives are used in Italy too, though maybe not as much. Chives feel very “Swedish” for me.
But I found this recipe in an old cookbook named The Mediterranean kitchen, so let’s call it Italien.
This is a perfect recipe if you’re planning to invite some friends for dinner.
You can prepare everything in advance. When your guests arrive, you just have to put everything into the oven.
Then you can enjoy a welcome drink with your friends while you are waiting for the food to be ready. The only thing you have to check now and then is the temperature of the chicken. Overcooked chicken is boring, even if it’s stuffed with ricotta.
All your guests may tell you how delicious it tastes, but you know that they are lying. You can see it in their faces. They are desperately trying to find a polite excuse to avoid eating that dry piece of chicken.
To avoid this, use a thermometer. Always be sure that the inner temperature is more than 158ºF / 70ºC and less than 167ºF / 75ºC.
Let’s start with the tomato vinaigrette.
I know it can be hard to find decent tomatoes at this time of year,
especially if you’re living in the northern parts of the world like I do.
Try to drain them with salt. Salt reduces the amount of liquid in the tomatoes and gives them a more concentrated flavor.
Cut the tomatoes into small cubes and place them in a strainer. Add some salt and let them drain for 15 minutes.
While you are waiting for the tomatoes to drain you can mix the chive with the olive oil with a hand mixer or a blender. Add the tomatoes together with some lime juice and zest and put the vinaigrette in the fridge.
Combine the ricotta cheese with pesto. If you want to go the extra mile you do your own pesto. You will find a good recipe here.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and fry them on both sides a minute or two, until they have a nice golden brown color.
Cut a pocket into each chicken breast and fill it with ricotta and pesto mixture.
You can prepare this far.
A suitable side dish may be potato wedges because they can be cooked in the oven together with the chicken. Just let them get 10 to 15 minutes in the oven before you let the chicken join them.
When the chicken is ready, you just pour some vinaigrette over it and serve it with your preferred side dish and perhaps a salad.
PS. Why not serve with a glass of with wine. Perhaps a Sauvignon Blanc.
Or a glass of Chianti if you prefer red wine.
Chicken fillet with creamy ricotta, pesto and tomato vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1,5 tablespoon pesto
- 0.8 cup / 2 dl ricotta
- 4 chicken fillet about 6 oz / 175 gram
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Tomato vinaigrette
- 0.5 cup / 1.2 dl olive oil extra virgin
- 0.5 oz / 15 gram chives
- 1 lb / 500 gram tomatoes
- 1 lime juice an zest
Instructions
- Cut tomatoes in pieces and put them in a strainer. Add a teaspoon salt and let them drain for at least 15 minutes.
- Mix olive oil with chives. Add the tomatoes, lime juice, and zest. Combine everything and put in the fridge.
- Fry the chicken on both sides a few minutes. It should just get some nice golden brown color.
- Place the chicken on a cutting board. Cut a deep pocket into each piece and fill it with pesto and ricotta mixture.
- Pre heat the oven to 450ºF / 220ºC. Roast the chicken in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. The inner temperature should be at least 158ºF / 70ºC.
- Place tthe chicken breasts on a plate and pour the vinaigrette over it.