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Quick and Easy Chicken Breasts with Fresh Mozzarella

Source of Recipe

From "The Cheese Lover's Cookbook & Guide" by Paula Lambert


Recipe Introduction

"I have taught this recipe countless times in cooking classes. Students often tell me that they go straight home and cook it for dinner that evening. And years later, they will tell me that they use this recipe all the time and it is one of their family's favorites. I hope you'll like it just as much. The secret is to barely melt the mozzarella, until it is soft but not completely melted."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1 ½ pounds total)
â—¦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 clove garlic
â—¦ ½ cup dry white wine
â—¦ 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 slices
â—¦ 4 sprigs fresh tarragon


Recipe

Wash the chicken and pat dry. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chicken breasts and sauté for 6 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown on both sides and almost cooked through, turning as necessary. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Add the wine to the pan, scraping to loosen any browned bits on the bottom, and simmer briefly to reduce to half its original volume. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Place two slices of fresh mozzarella and one sprig of tarragon on top of each chicken breast. Cover the pan, remove it from the heat, and set aside in a warm place for a few minutes to let the mozzarella soften and begin to melt. Sprinkle the chicken with additional salt or pepper as desired. Remove the garlic and discard.

To serve, transfer the chicken to heated serving plates and spoon some of the sauce over it. Serve immediately.

Serves 4