Baked Chicken with Leeks and Herbs

From issue #8.
Photography by Minka Firth.
Baked Chicken with Leeks and Herbs

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

100 grams cream cheese
1 cup assorted herbs, e.g. flat-leaf parsley, mint, coriander, chives, finely chopped
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1⁄2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin-on
2-3 leeks 100 mls white wine
100 mls chicken stock
30 grams butter

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180oC.

Beat the cream cheese with the herbs, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper.
Lift the skin from the chicken and spread a quarter of the cream cheese mixture on each breast. Lay the skin back down and smooth it over the stuffing.

Smear a baking dish with a little of the butter. Slice the leeks diagonally about 1cm thick and arrange in the dish. Pour over the wine and stock.

Place the chicken on top, season everything well and dot with the remaining butter.
Place in the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the leeks are tender.

Serve with creamy mashed potatoes. Serves 4

Alternatives: If you don’t wish to use wine, replace it with the same amount of chicken stock. Ricotta can be used in place of the cream cheese for the stuffing.