Italian Stuffed Grilled Chicken

 I am busy working on the next Diner News, which will highlight herbs. I have quite a few pots of fresh herbs growing out there, so I need some inspiration to do more with them than water the pots! This recipe is delish. It is a great way to use basil. Here, I used the Globe Basil, which has smaller, very strongly flavored leaves. I can pick off more than enough for dinner and still have that pretty rounded shape to the plant.

Here's the recipe. It is really simple. There are two ways of doing it, depending on the size of the chicken breast.

Italian Stuffed Grilled Chicken


1 chicken breast per serving
1/2 small tomato per serving
basil leaves to cover, 3-4 larger leaves, a couple dozen of the smaller globe size
garlic salt


Trim the fat from the chicken breasts.If working with smaller breasts, butterfly the meat, being careful not to cut through. If working with larger breasts, cut the meat into two equal portions. Use a mallet to pound the breast thinner. If you leave them too thick, it is difficult to stuff and even harder to get cooked through. Sprinkle each slice of chicken with garlic salt. Slice the tomato into thick wedges and lay those on half of the chicken. Sprinkle basil leaves over the tomatoes. Fold the chicken in half, creating a sandwich shape with the tomato and basil inside. Secure with a toothpick. Grill on a a George (aka contact grill) for best results. (It is much easier to not flip these) If you are brave, the extra charcoal taste would probably be awesome!

I grilled some extra tomatoes while I was at it. I love these drizzled with a touch of olive oil and flavored vinegar, then with a tiny sprinkle of sea salt. I didn't add anything to the chicken because I really wanted the taste of the herb to come through. And the smell....let's just say, you will be very popular.