Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs with Cherry Prosecco Compote

Stuffed Chicken with Cherry Prosecco Compote

There are a million stuffed chicken thigh or breast recipes out there, and while I have written several, myself, I think I have outdone myself this time!  I have taken a basic recipe - stuffing chicken thighs and wrapping it with a strip of bacon - but it is the sauce, or compote, which is a closer definition for it, takes center stage here.  There is a delicate and wonderful balance of sweet, tangy, savory and salty.  

This is an elegant dish, served with mashed potatoes or/and  roasted broccoli.  Rice or couscous, Caprese salad could easily fit with this dish. This simple and sensationally flavorful meal is perfect for date night!  Anyone can, really, regardless of their experience in the kitchen, make this dish.  Come on, let  me show you how!

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

6 slices of bacon
2 ounces goat cheese
6 sprigs fresh or dried rosemary
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Cherry Compote Ingredients

1/4  grated red onion, the rest sliced into crescents
2 cups pitted cherries
1 12-ounce bottle Prosecco
2 full tablespoons honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, zest and juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon pasilla chile powder
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil with pinch of lemon zest

In a sauce pan, add one tablespoon of evoo with a pinch of lemon zest over low heat. Add the water and 1 tablespoon honey and bring to a boil.  Stir to incorporate. Add the cherries, the entire bottle of Prosecco, the remaining honey, the grated onion, the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and remaining zest and the chile powder.  Stir vigorously until the mixture boils.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for one hour.  The sauce should reduce by half.  The aroma will be insanely fantastic. 

Now, while I enjoyed the compote, or sauce, as I called it, the lesson I learned would be to reduce it further and then, when cooled, process it smooth.  That would have a beautiful sheen to it, a velvety texture, but I wanted it to be chunky; I wanted the cherries to take on the Prosecco flavor.  

Cherries simmering in the compote mixture. 

While the cherry compote is simmering away, use a separate cutting board and paring knife for the chicken. Lay out each chicken thigh and each bacon slice.  Use the paring knife to gently slice open the thicker part of the thighs.  I use chicken thighs for this, pretty strictly, because it maintains its flavor and moisture better than chicken breasts in a similar dish. I used a tea spoon to scoop the goat cheese (I used a Davenport, Calif. goat cheese rolled in chives), place it on the thicker side of the thigh, open side up, then I added a fresh-cut/home dried rosemary sprig to each complete thigh.  I rolled the thighs up, starting at the larger end of the bacon.  

Prior to rolling in the bacon, I'd added the red onion crescents to a high sided oven safe skillet with the vegetable oil.  I had also sprinkled the Herbs de Provence and salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken thighs before stuffing and wrapping. 

I set the oven to 400-degrees.  

Once all of the thighs had been stuffed and bacon-wrapped, I placed them onto the onion crescents in the skillet.  I placed the skillet into the oven, then immediately reduced the heat to 350-degrees.  I set it so hot first, so the bacon would begin to render its fat and quickly tighten around the thighs and keep the cheese inside. 

Set the timer for 45-minutes for small thighs, one hour for large thighs.  Mine were very small.  I added the rest of the dried rosemary sprigs atop the bacon-wrapped thighs for additional flavor.  It sure did provide an amazing aroma in my little kitchen while roasting. 

Once done, I allowed the thighs to rest a few minutes.  I plated a thigh and spooned on some of the Cherry and Prosecco Compote.  That aroma, too, was fantastic!  The combination of the tangy goat cheese, the salty bacon, the sweet and tang of the Cherry Compote was a party in my mouth.  One of those "Get in Mah Belly!" moments!

I garnished with tiny basil leaves which I thought added beauty and a little flavor hint. 

Lesson I learned:  I should have reduced the Cherry Compote another fifteen or so minutes so as not to be so loose. I mentioned above, too, that I also could have processed this smooth.  Had I served with it mashed potatoes, I definitely would have done so, to add elegance to the dish.  And, Be sure to remove the rosemary sprig so as not to chew on it.  


As always, I am Thankful for your visit.  I hope your try this dish and make it for someone you love.  Food is love, like music, which can give you much happiness and push away negative feelings from a bad day.  

Thank You!  

~Martin
In-House Cook