Plump Chicken Breasts with Tantalising Sundried Tomatoes

Being feminine in nature, eating tomatoes inspires love and passion. Due to its fleshy centre and gorgeously red colour, it is a good addition to many romantic dinners. Fresh, ripe tomatoes, when sundried, make an especially beautiful addition when stuffed into chicken breasts.

INGREDIENTS

·         4 skinless chicken breast fillets, pounded thin

·         1 medium red bell pepper, diced

·         6 garlic cloves, minced

·         5 large sun-dried tomatoes, diced

·         1 teaspoon thyme

·         2 circles feta cheese, crumbled finely

·         ¹⁄₂ cup breadcrumbs

·         Olive oil

·         Salt

·         Pepper

·         Toothpick

·         Spring Onion, chopped (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

·    Sauté garlic and red bell pepper, in Olive Oil, for about 3 minutes (enough to blend the flavours). Set aside to cool.

·    In a bowl, combine Feta cheese, breadcrumbs, thyme, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and red pepper mixture. Toss until well mixed (this will be your "stuffing").

·    Lay a flattened piece of chicken breast on a cutting board or your counter.

·    Put a 1/4 of the above mixture on the flattened chicken breast like you would be making a wrap and roll as tight as you can get it. Secure it with a toothpick.

·    Place chicken breast "roll" on a greased baking sheet, brush with olive oil (this gives it a lovely golden brown texture), and season with salt and pepper.

·    Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook for about 35 minutes.

·    Garnish with chopped green onion and serve hot.

Some interesting facts

Whether you make your own or buy them at the store, sun-dried tomatoes serve as an excellent source of several nutrients, and deliver a range of health benefits.

Due to their high moisture content, tomatoes deteriorate rapidly after they’ve been picked. But removing the water through drying preserves them, while retaining their flavour. Drying brings out their natural sweetness, and sun-dried tomatoes add robust flavour to a variety of dishes.

You can make them at home, either by drying them in the sun under a cheesecloth or by baking them at low heat in the oven. Sun-drying is economical, but the process can be tricky because they need a specific temperature range.