Pineapple-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Chicken

• 8 whole small chicken breasts, boned
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon pimiento, chopped

Sweet-Sour Pineapple Sauce

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons onion, chopped
• 1 (8 1/4 ounce) can pineapple slices in syrup
• Syrup reserved from crushed pineapple
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons pimento, diced

Instructions

Chicken

1. Place boned chicken breasts skin side down on board.
2. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt.
3. Drain pineapple and reserve the syrup for the Sweet-Sour Pineapple Sauce.
4. Heat 4 tablespoons butter in skillet; add green bell pepper, celery, onion and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
5. Cook until the vegetables are tender.
6. Remove from heat; add the tarragon, bread crumbs, pimiento and the drained pineapple; mix well.
7. Place about 1/4 cup stuffing mixture in center of each chicken breast; fold the sides over and fasten with skewer or string.
8. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet.
9. Add chicken breasts, four at a time and brown lightly on all sides.
10. Remove and place in a shallow baking pan.
11. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes until tender.
12. Serve with Sweet-Sour Pineapple Sauce.

Sweet-Sour Pineapple Sauce

1. Heat oil in saucepan.
2. Add green bell pepper and onion; cook for 2 minutes.
3. Drain syrup from pineapple slices and add to saucepan with the syrup reserved from the crushed pineapple in stuffing.
4. Blend cornstarch with water; add to saucepan.
5. Add bouillon cube, brown sugar, tarragon, vinegar and soy sauce.
6. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken and comes to a boil.
7. Cut pineapple slices in half; add to the sauce with the pimiento.
8. Heat and serve over the chicken breasts.