Goat's cheese chicken with warm lentils & sweet beets

Goat's cheese chicken with warm lentils & sweet beets

Stuffing and wrapping chicken breasts works brilliantly for entertaining, letting you get most of the work done before any of your guests arrive

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 40 mins

Egg-free

Method

  1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Put the beetroot and shallots into a roasting tin, drizzle with honey and 1 tbsp oil, season, then toss well. Cover with foil, then roast for 1 hr, turning after 30 mins and leaving the foil off. Splash half the lemon juice over the veg when they're ready, then set aside. Can be made up to 1 day ahead.
  2. Meanwhile, boil the lentils, then drain and rinse well. Make a dressing by whizzing the garlic, capers, remaining oil, lemon juice and mustard together with seasoning. Add a couple tbsp water to loosen. Set aside.
  3. Turn the chicken breasts upside down, then pull each mini fillet to the side, without detaching it. Cut a pocket into the thickest part of the fillet. Repeat with the rest. Mix the lemon zest with the goat's cheese, half the parsley and seasoning, then stuff about 1 tsp cheese into each pocket. Fold the mini fillets back over to seal. Wrap each breast in 3 rashers of bacon, then sit on a baking tray. Can be prepared up to a day ahead. Roast with the veg for 20 mins until the bacon is crisp and cooked through.
  4. To serve, warm the lentils in the pan, stir the remaining parsley into most of the dressing, then tip in the warm lentils. Spoon onto plates with some of the roast beets and shallots, scatter over the salad leaves, top with the chicken, sliced in half, then drizzle over remaining dressing.

Per serving

661 kcalories, protein 62g, carbohydrate 43g, fat 28 g, saturated fat 8g, fibre 0g, sugar 14g, salt 2.52 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, October 2008.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • 02 October 2008

    Lynsey rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was really easy and the result was delicious. I used Borsin to stuff the chicken as I had some in the fridge to use up.

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  • 08 January 2009

    Surfnirvana rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    My husband (who doesn't even know where the oven is), cooked this for 6 of us on New Year's Eve. Most of it you can prepare in advance and he used Procuittio instead of bacon to wrap around the organic, free-range chicken. The flavours of lemon and parsley really shone out and goes very well with the lentils, sticky beetroot and shallots. Although there is a little preparation for this, it is well worth it and you are not toiling over bubbling pots and pans when your guests arrive. The whole dish looks very impressive on the plate too. We all stood up and applauded my husband's efforts!

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  • 03 February 2009

    Winston rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I used Philly cream cheese with herbs instead of goat's cheese and pinned the chicken breasts together with toothpicks to prevent them from falling apart. It was delicious and really easy.

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  • 28 February 2009

    hlnharrison commented on this recipe

    We are all watching our calorie and fat intake so I used philadelphia extra light instead of the goat's cheese and back bacon with visible fat cut off instead of the streaky. It was really delicious. I just cooked it for the family but a great dish for entertaining as so much can be done in advance.

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  • 14 May 2009

    Briony rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was delicious and the final result looks and tastes like you have put a lot more effort in than you actually have. A crowd pleaser!

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  • 08 October 2009

    lipsi rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    You absolutely have to taste this recipe. It is delicious! I can't say what is better lentils, beetroot or chicken - combination is perfect. I adore this meal.

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  • 26 February 2010

    Fireforhair rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • 12 January 2011

    Samsamdonteatham commented on this recipe

    I would like to make this but I don't like bacon, can I cook it without wrapping the chicken in it?

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  • 08 February 2011

    Jenny Piccolo rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Just made this as a weekday meal for myself and my husband and it was wonderful! We had no complaints and my husband thought it looked fab too. Used soft cheese with garlic and herbs as that's what I had in the fridge, and pancetta instead of bacon as I find bacon too thick and greasy. Absolutely delicious! Good for a future dinner party.

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  • 10 February 2011

    SusanG rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    This is a great meal - we discovered it and can't leave it alone!

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  • 14 February 2011

    itsnice rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is an awesome recipe. I didn't use beetroot or shallots, just roasted some onions in honey and mixed it in with the lentils at the end. Really tasty!

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  • 30 March 2011

    PoisonIvy73 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Just did this for dinner tonight and it was INCREDIBLE. Only change I made was red onions for the shallots and baby spinach for salad leaves as that's what was on hand. I would absolutely serve this for a dinner party. It's much easier to do than it looks.

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  • 05 May 2011

    Laura rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Fantastic recipe. Tasty and impressive, whilst being really easy. In response to Samsamdonteatham - You need the bacon to be able to keep the filling in as well as the chicken moist. Maybe you could try turkey "bacon" instead. It may work...

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  • 27 June 2011

    Mounses2 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I had a vacuum pack of cooked beats so roasted the shallots first in the honey dressing till tender, then added the chopped cooked beats for the last 10mins. They were delicious. I had made lentils this way before (with peppered smoked makeral flaked in- lovely). I have tasted this kind of wrapped chicken and always found it dry but they actually turned out lovely. Using pre-cooked beats and lentils meant it was a great mid week fast supper.

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  • 18 January 2012

    Lon76 commented on this recipe

    This was the most flavoursome meal I have eaten in a very long while! It was a little bit fiddly, however, this is more likely to be beacause I tried to start some of it earlier on in the day to save time cooking whilst my friends were round. We all absolutely loved it, I received some very good reviews and even had to share the recipe with my friend!! I will definitely cook again!!

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  • 06 February 2012

    alliei80 rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    I think the way the recipe is written could be slightly clearer - how long should the lentils be boiled for?? I followed the packet instructions of 20 minutes but they were still hard unfortunately. Also I think the oven needs to be turned down a bit when the chicken goes in (to 180 for a fan) as it was a bit overcooked. I wouldn't recommend leaving the foil off for 30 minutes as the honey really burnt to the roasting dish, probably 10 minutes would be fine. However despite these problems the flavours were really good and I will make some adjustments and make this dish again.

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  • 10 February 2012

    fitchick67 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Loved this recipe, really helps to prep the beets ahead of time and makes sure you don't over cook the chicken! Great flavours a real treat.

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  • 24 February 2012

    iracema commented on this recipe

    lovely flavours and colours i added butternut squash and spinich instead salad leaves for a cozy winter meal.

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  • 09 June 2012

    Mare commented on this recipe

    This is such a great recipe for a dinner party, looks impressive and tastes fantastic. Easy although fiddely but well worth it. Like some others I have used Philly cheese (garlic and mixed herbs) apart from that I followed the rest of the recipe exactly! Will continue to use again and again.

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  • 09 June 2012

    Mare rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Oops forgot to rate it!!!!

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 40 mins

Egg-free

Ingredients

FOR THE CHICKEN

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Per serving

661 kcalories, protein 62g, carbohydrate 43g, fat 28 g, saturated fat 8g, fibre 0g, sugar 14g, salt 2.52 g

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