Gas-Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Black Forest Ham and Gruyere
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 26, 2013
Time
1½ hours, plus 30 minutes brining
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
48 ounces chicken breasts (4 breasts, about 12 ounces each), bone-in, skin-on, trimmed of excess fat and skin3 tablespoons table salt, for briningvegetable oil for cooking grate4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (½ stick)1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, rind removed, cut into four 3 by ½-inch sticks2 ounces Black Forest ham (4 slices)ground black pepper
Before You Begin
You can serve the chicken on the bone, but we prefer to carve it off and slice it before serving.
Instructions
- Starting on thick side of breast, closest to breastbone, cut horizontal pocket in each breast, stopping ½ inch from edge so halves remain attached. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 1 quart cold water in large container. Add breasts, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Turn all burners to high, close lid, and heat until hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush. Dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when coals are hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 2 seconds). Leave primary burner (burner that will stay on during grilling) on high and turn off other burner(s).
- Meanwhile, combine butter, Dijon mustard, shallot, and thyme in small bowl. Roll each piece of cheese in 1 slice Black Forest ham. Remove breasts from brine, dry thoroughly inside and out with paper towels, and season inside and out with pepper. Spread equal amount of butter mixture inside each breast. Place 1 Black Forest ham-wrapped piece of cheese inside each breast and fold breast over to enclose. Evenly space 3 pieces kitchen twine (each about 12 inches long) beneath each breast and tie, trimming any excess.
- Place chicken breasts, skin side down, over hot part of grill and cook until well browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until second side is just opaque, about 2 minutes. Move chicken, skin side up, to cool side of grill, with thicker side of breasts facing fire. Cover grill and continue to cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of stuffing registers 160 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest, tented with foil, 10 minutes. Remove twine, then carve breast meat from bone (see photo below). Carve into ½-inch-thick slices and serve.
Time
1½ hours, plus 30 minutes briningYield
Serves 4Ingredients
48 ounces chicken breasts (4 breasts, about 12 ounces each), bone-in, skin-on, trimmed of excess fat and skin
3 tablespoons table salt, for brining
vegetable oil for cooking grate
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (½ stick)
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, rind removed, cut into four 3 by ½-inch sticks
2 ounces Black Forest ham (4 slices)
ground black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
48 ounces chicken breasts (4 breasts, about 12 ounces each), bone-in, skin-on, trimmed of excess fat and skin
3 tablespoons table salt, for brining
vegetable oil for cooking grate
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (½ stick)
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, rind removed, cut into four 3 by ½-inch sticks
2 ounces Black Forest ham (4 slices)
ground black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
48 ounces chicken breasts (4 breasts, about 12 ounces each), bone-in, skin-on, trimmed of excess fat and skin
3 tablespoons table salt, for brining
vegetable oil for cooking grate
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (½ stick)
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, rind removed, cut into four 3 by ½-inch sticks
2 ounces Black Forest ham (4 slices)
ground black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For our gas-grilled stuffed chicken recipe’s stuffing, we opted for ham and Gruyère. We wrapped the ham around the cheese and placed the whole bundle inside the chicken, which we had sliced horizontally and spread with a simple compound butter. Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts stayed moist, and the bone prevented shrinking and shielded the underside of the meat from the heat of the grill, giving us a stuffed chicken breast recipe that was made better by the grill, not worse.
Before You Begin
You can serve the chicken on the bone, but we prefer to carve it off and slice it before serving.
Instructions
- Starting on thick side of breast, closest to breastbone, cut horizontal pocket in each breast, stopping ½ inch from edge so halves remain attached. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 1 quart cold water in large container. Add breasts, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Turn all burners to high, close lid, and heat until hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush. Dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when coals are hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 2 seconds). Leave primary burner (burner that will stay on during grilling) on high and turn off other burner(s).
- Meanwhile, combine butter, Dijon mustard, shallot, and thyme in small bowl. Roll each piece of cheese in 1 slice Black Forest ham. Remove breasts from brine, dry thoroughly inside and out with paper towels, and season inside and out with pepper. Spread equal amount of butter mixture inside each breast. Place 1 Black Forest ham-wrapped piece of cheese inside each breast and fold breast over to enclose. Evenly space 3 pieces kitchen twine (each about 12 inches long) beneath each breast and tie, trimming any excess.
- Place chicken breasts, skin side down, over hot part of grill and cook until well browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until second side is just opaque, about 2 minutes. Move chicken, skin side up, to cool side of grill, with thicker side of breasts facing fire. Cover grill and continue to cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of stuffing registers 160 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest, tented with foil, 10 minutes. Remove twine, then carve breast meat from bone (see photo below). Carve into ½-inch-thick slices and serve.
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