At the end of a long day, come dinnertime, ease often beats creativity. But simplicity should never stand in the way of taste! In this recipe, we do the innovating for you by putting a fun spin on a classic chicken Caesar salad.
We stuffed crispy butterflied chicken breasts with Stella® 3-Cheese Italian Blend, a marriage of Asiago, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses. Each style of cheese boasts its own unique flavor notes, but together they create a blend that’s at once sharp, savory, and buttery-rich. When building recipes around hard Italian cheeses, it can be a challenge to pick the one with the right measure of texture and intensity. With Stella® 3-Cheese Italian Blend, you don’t have to choose! Stella cheeses are created in the Italian tradition, following in the footsteps of Italian-born founder Count Bolognesi, who began recreating his favorite homeland cheeses after settling in Wisconsin in 1923. Over the last century, Stella (“star” in Italian, hence the red star logo) has continued to represent the best in Italian-inspired dairy products.
Versatility is where Stella cheeses shine, especially when incorporated into crowd-pleasing cuisine like this Triple Cheesy Chicken Caesar Salad. Just add a glass of red wine, and you’ve got a well-rounded and delicious weeknight meal.
Triple Cheesy Chicken Caesar Salad with Stella® 3-Cheese Italian Blend
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 1 container Stella® 3-Cheese Italian Blend shredded
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ teaspoon whole grain mustard
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Few sprigs fresh parsley chopped
- 1 bag spinach or 1 head romaine
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- Bread of choice cubed
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
Instructions
- ►Pat chicken breast dry and season with salt and pepper. To butterfly: slice each breast down the middle lengthwise, without separating halves. Fill each breast with ¼ cup cheese blend. *Note: if using smaller chicken breasts, use less cheese. Don’t use more than ¼ cup for each.
- ►Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large oven-proof pan. Sear the top side of each breast for 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and finish cooking in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
- ►On a baking sheet, combine bread cubes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper and bake 10 to 12 minutes until toasted.
- ►Meanwhile, whisk together garlic, lemon juice, whole grain mustard, mayonnaise, parsley, a pinch of salt and pepper, and ¼ cup cheese blend. Set aside to use as dressing.
- ►Once chicken is cooked through, turn oven to broil setting. Sprinkle cheese blend on top of each breast. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown.
- ►Toss greens with tomatoes, croutons, and dressing. Plate chicken breast on top and garnish with any leftover cheese, if desired.
