- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 2 ounces goat cheese
- 4 dried apricots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (3 tablespoons)
- Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Mint Pesto (recipe below)
- 3 cups lightly packed fresh mint
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Coarse salt
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut a slit in one side of each chicken breast to create a pocket about 4 inches long.
- In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the almonds with the goat cheese and apricots. Stuff each breast with one quarter of the mixture. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- On a plate, combine the breadcrumbs and the remaining 1/4 cup almonds. Dip each breast into the beaten egg, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat the oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken until golden, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to the oven; bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve hot with the mint pesto on the side.
- In a food processor, combine the mint and almonds; process until finely chopped.
- With the motor running, gradually pour the olive oil through the feed tube. Season with salt. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve. Store leftover pesto in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks; let it come to room temperature before serving.