Roasted Chicken with Goat Cheese & Basil

You can probably tell by now that I have a slight obsession with roasted chicken.  I always use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts even when recipes call for boneless because I love how juicy the chicken remains with cooking it on the bone, and I love, love, love the crunch of the skin on top.  It does require a little extra cooking time, but the prep time is always quick, and you can always get other things done while the chicken is cooking in the oven!

This particular recipe is one that has been in my recipe file for a long time courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa {love her!}.  You really can't go wrong with this chicken recipe.  The ingredient amounts are just rough estimates, so use as much {or as little} of the goat cheese and basil as you like to stuff each breast.  I LOVE goat cheese, so I always add a little more than the original recipe actually calls for because you can never have enough goat cheese in my opinion, right?  

Word of caution though: cook the chicken in a pan with a HIGH lip because the cheese will melt and run out of the chicken a little as it cooks, and you don't want burnt goat cheese all over the bottom of your oven.  Because... then your oven will start smoking and ALL THREE of the fire alarms in your tiny apartment will start going off all at the same time, and you and your husband will be running around like a chicken with your head cut off trying to turn them all off before they wake the baby.

I might speak from experience there.

Chicken with Goat Cheese & Basil

2 split chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

4 oz. herbed goat cheese, cut into thick slices

fresh basil leaves 

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet with a high lip.  Use your finger to gently separate the skin from the breast of the chicken.  Tuck the goat cheese and basil leaves underneath the skin.  Drizzle olive oil generously over top both chicken breasts.  Salt and pepper each breast to taste.

Cook the chicken breasts in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.  Serve with your choice of veggie on the side.