Goat Cheese Stuffed Lemon Chicken & Vegetables | Sheet Pan Supper

 

I love this system for weeknight dinners.  This dinner took me 5 minutes to prepare - I sliced the potatoes and radishes in half, then I put some goat cheese under the skin of the chicken.  I drizzled everything with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of salt.  It went in the oven at 400 for 30 minutes (except for the asparagus, I actually took it off before baking and put it back in for the last 10 minutes so it didn't get burnt to a crisp).  While it cooked, I cleaned up the cutting board, unloaded the dishwasher, put the groceries away and set the table.  All of this started at 5:30 immediately after we'd gone to the grocery store.  By 6:00 dinner was ready, the kitchen had already been cleaned up (during the 30 min cook time) and Mike walked in the door for dinner.

I used two Large Baking Sheets ($10) with Parchment Paper ($10) you can find in my store, here >

This isn't the dinner anyone would request for their birthday, and it is definitely on the list of "lighter" dinners I make, but it is very yummy.  Mike LOVED this dinner.  He is always in the market for fresher, healthier, and simpler dinners without so many sauces and seasonings.  The goat cheese cooked under the skin of the chicken is just enough of an indulgence to make it satisfying.  I actually prepared two identical pans (4 chicken breasts) and baked them at the same time so we had enough for lunch leftovers the next day.    

Goat Cheese Stuffed Lemon Chicken & Vegetables on a Sheet Pan

2-4 chicken breasts, bone-in skin on
goat cheese
asparagus*
colorful radishes
small or fingerling potatoes
green onions
olive oil
lemon
sea salt
3 tablespoons of butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line Large Baking Sheets with Parchment Paper ($10),  Place chicken breasts on the pan, place a generous slice of goat cheese underneath the skin of each.  Slice potatoes in half.  Trim asparagus ends.  Slice green onions in half, slice radishes in half.  Arrange all on baking sheet - except asparagus.  I put the asparagus on for the last ten minutes of baking so it doesn't get burnt to a crisp.  Drizzle with olive oil, squeeze lemon and sprinkle salt all over the entire pan.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Add asparagus and bake all until chicken is 145 degrees.  Remove from oven.  Place another tablespoon of butter on each chicken breast.  Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve.  Pour juices out of pan and pour onto chicken and potatoes on plates.

I love a colorful dinner!  Emma loved these radishes - when roasted they tasted like carrots and obviously the color palette is amazing.

Sorry, closeup photos of raw chicken isn't always the best, but I wanted to show you how easy it is to slide a slice of goat cheese under the skin of a bone-in, skin-on chicken breast.

 Are you interested in more sheet pan dinner ideas?  I love that minimal dishes/pots/pans are required and that cleanup is so simple.  It is also a fun challenge to see what I can come up with on just a sheet pan!

Thyme Mushrooms & Burrata on Garlic Crostini

Don't be shocked... two recipe posts in one week.  This appetizer (side dish, meal...) is my new favorite thing.  It would go great with a big Italian dinner, or holiday beef tenderloin, or a fresh grilled dinner, or a heavy appetizer party, or with a salad would be dinner all by itself (for me, anyway).  I served it as a side item to our ultra healthy dinner of Lemon Roasted Salmon and Vegetables.  Mike and Emma are not mushroom fans (no matter how tempting I make them look piled on fresh burrata) so we left half with and half without - also a great way to serve at a party if you have any non-mushroom (crazy) guests.

This recipe was inspired by the cookbook Sheet Pan Suppers.  I tried her method of roasting the mushrooms in the oven, but didn't love how they seemed to be dry and a little crispy.  They were great finger food, though - I gobbled them up while I made a batch of sauteed mushrooms instead.

Thyme Mushrooms & Burrata
on Garlic Crostini

1 baguette, sliced in 1/2" slices
olive oil
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoons of butter
1 pint of mushrooms
fresh thyme
sea salt & cracked pepper
burrata (ricotta or fresh mozzarella)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place sliced bread of sheet pan.  Drizzle with olive oil.

In a saute pan, saute mushrooms in butter for 5-8 minutes until brown and soft.  Add fresh thyme leafs (removed from stems) in and cook for 1 more minute.

Just before you are ready to serve, toast bread in oven for 5-7 minutes until golden on top.  Remove from oven and immediately top with burrata slices (or spoonfuls if runny).  Top with piles of warm mushrooms and serve.



She also suggests trying butternut squash or broccoli toppers, as well.  Maybe... but I'll stick with mushrooms for now until I burn myself out.

This was how I tried the sheet pan roasting, but as I said, I opted to saute the old fashioned way.  I will make roasted mushrooms for little nibbles, though.

I added al little bit of fresh thyme garnish to give it some green.

See those baby hands?  She's helping me stuff small fresh mozzarella balls into meatballs.  That's coming up next week : )