Devon's Cooking...Goat Cheese and Caramelized Leek-Stuffed Chicken

Dave and I are finally back from our travels... we had an amazing time in Phoenix for Dave's high school friend, Dan's, wedding and a great time celebrating Tim Andrews' 30th Birthday! Thanks to Tim's fiancee, Avital, we even got to do a sunrise hot air balloon ride, which was amazing (until we hit 6,000+ feet and I almost passed out!).

We also had an opportunity to check out much of Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, etc., and in doing so we a) ate an excessive amount of tortilla chips (Tim, insert joke here), b) realized that Phoenix has the most chain restaurants per capita that we've ever witnessed (and if there's a recession going on, it ain't showin' in Phoenix-- Hooters, Cheesecake Factory, Corner Bakery... they were PACKED!), c) got denied time and again by the damn Salt River (we may not have experienced your inner tubes and your disease-ridden water, Salt River, but we have vinyl tablecloths to show for our efforts!) and d) learned that Mike Tyson is as huge and facially-tatooed in person as on TV (yeah, we were one table over from him at the Saddle Ranch Club (Scottsdale's attempt at being Texas), but were too wimpy (or unaffected by celebrity...however you want to look at it) to get a photo).

Because of the aforementioned tortilla-chip-binge and the chain-restaurant excessiveness, we definitely woke up this morning desperate to get back to health. Luckily I picked up an issue of Cooking Light at the airport so we (and our temporary roomie, Christian) enjoyed a delicious dinner tonight of...

GOAT CHEESE AND CARAMELIZED LEEK-STUFFED CHICKEN

Ingredients:
1.5 tsp olive oil

2 large leeks, thinly sliced

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

3 oz. goat cheese

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp fat-free milk

2 tsp dried thyme

6 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

Directions: Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat and add leeks, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Sautee for 12 minutes, stirring frequently; cover and cook on low heat for an additional 8 minutes, stirring occassionally. Uncover and cook on medium-high heat an additional 6-7 minutes, until leeks are brownish. Cool for about 2 minutes and combine in small bowl with goat cheese, parsley, 1/4 tsp salt, milk and thyme, stirring with fork. Cut chicken breasts at thickest part to form a pouch and put about 1.5 Tbsp goat cheese mixture in pouch. Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat-- add chicken breasts and cook for 5 minutes over medium. Cover and cook on low heat for an additional 10 minutes; uncover and make sure chicken is cooked through (continue cooking until no longer pink). Remove chicken and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Add wine and scrape up bits from skillet with wine; let cook and reduce for about 2 minutes. Add broth and cook an additional 10 or so minutes (until reduced by half). Serve 1 breast of chicken with mashed sweet potatoes (take 3 medium-large sweet potatoes and microwave each until very soft. Peel off skin and place innards into medium bowl with 2 tsp+ cinnamon, 1 tsp of Chinese All-Spice powder and 2 tsp Heart Smart "butter"-- mash and top with 1/2 tsp toasted pecans or other nuts) and steamed broccoli and enjoy!!