Cheese-Stuffed Chicken With Fresh Tomato-Pepper Sauce

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Turn chicken dinner into a special affair with a little pepper jack and a sauce with some zip - in less than 30 minutes.
Note: I pureed the cooked sauce ingredients in a food processor for a creamy puree. If you prefer a chunkier sauce with your chicken breast, simply skip the pureeing and serve it directly from the pan.
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Ingredients
For the Sauce
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 scallions, white parts only, chopped
  • 1/3 each large red, orange, and yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped
  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth, plus more, as needed
  • 1 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
For the Chicken
  • 4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
  • olive oil for brushing, plus 1 tbsp
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
  • 8 tbsp grated pepper jack cheese
Preparation
For the Sauce
  1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the scallions and bell peppers. Sauté until beginning to soften, 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, broth, oregano, and cumin and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes break down, 3-4 minutes.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse until smooth, adding a little more broth, if needed, to reach the desired consistency. The sauce should be thick and smooth, but not runny.
  4. Return the sauce to the pan and keep warm over low heat while you prepare the chicken.
For the Chicken
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Lay the pounded chicken breasts on a work surface and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
  3. Spoon 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese on each breast, leaving about 1/2-inch space around the edges. Roll up as tightly as you can, tucking in the sides as you go.
  4. Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken seam-side down and sear until golden brown on the bottom, 4-5 minutes.
  5. Turn the chicken over and place the skillet in the oven. (Press any open seams back together with a spatula.) Bake 6 minutes. Turn the chicken over again and bake until cooked through and golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest 3 minutes.
To serve, divide the sauce among 4 plates, spooning on enough to make a bed for the chicken. Slice the breasts into 1-inch rounds and fan on top of the sauce. Serve right away.



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