Blue Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Stuffed with a surprisingly delicious combination of crumbled blue cheese and basil, this chicken entree is breaded with crushed pistachios and bread crumbs.  If you don't want to haul out your food processor, use a coffee grinder!  It is much easier to clean up and you don't have to worry about cutting yourself on the big food processor blade attachment. 

Blue Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Serves 4

1 1/4 cups pistachios

3/4 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat if available)

1 cup buttermilk

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

1/4 cup minced fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup roasted red peppers

2 garlic cloves, minced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Process pistachios in a food processor or coffee grinder (in batches) until ground. Transfer to a shallow bowl; add bread crumbs. Place buttermilk in another bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the blue cheese crumbles with the fresh minced basil. Add salt and pepper. Cut a slit lengthwise through the chicken breast creating a pocket.  Be sure not to go through the chicken breast.  Stuff with blue cheese mixture.

Dip the chicken breasts in buttermilk, then coat with pistachio mixture. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet. 

Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.

Meanwhile, place peppers in a food processor or coffee grinder.  Add garlic.  Process until blended. 

Place the cooked chicken on serving plates; top with pepper sauce.