Chicken Breast Stuffed with Walnut-Mint-Raisin Bulgur, Honey-Glazed Carrots, Beet Green Tzatziki
Walnuts, honey, bulgur, chicken all together in a delicious, healthy, easy dish. For a lovingly curated array of Greek ingredients to pair with this recipe, check out my online store here.
Place the bulgur in a small bowl and add the water. Cover and let stand until the bulgur absorbs all the water, about 45 minutes. You can do this the previous day, too, and store bulgur in the refrigerator.
Place the walnuts and garlic in the bowl of a small food processor and pulse to get a coarse, grainy paste. Add the mint, parsley, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and parmesan or kefalograviera cheese. Pulse to make a paste. Remove and transfer to a mixing bowl using a rubber spatula.
Add the bulgur, raisins and chopped figs to the bowl. Toss to combine.
Using a sharp small knife, make an incision on the fattest side of each of the breasts to form a pocket. Divide the filling into four equal amounts and stuff each of the breasts. Secure closed with toothpicks.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Brown the breasts on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots and onions to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Stir gently with a wooden spoon. Pour in the orange juice and fig balsamic. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook the chicken and carrot-onion mixture together for about 12 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan. Add a little water if necessary. Add the honey. Continue simmering until the chicken is done, turning it at least once so that it acquires a nice glazed finish on both sides.
While the chicken is cooking, make the beet green tzatziki
Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous tablespoon of salt. Separate the cut beet green stems from the leaves. Blanch the chopped stems first, for about 8 minutes, until tender but still al dente; add the greens. Continue simmering until tender, another 5 - 7 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water or place immediately in an ice bath to cool down. Drain well.
Mix the blanched beet greens and stems with the yogurt, garlic, salt, and vinegar.
Serve one stuffed breast per portion, a few carrots and onions, and a little of the beet green tzatziki.