Rich, rustic Italian comfort in every bite.

This stuffed cheese and pesto chicken breast feels like the kind of meal you would find tucked into a little family-run Italian restaurant, rich with roasted garlic, sweet tomatoes, bubbling cheese and silky sauce spooned generously over fresh pasta. It has that rustic warmth that makes a dinner feel comforting and elevated at the same time.

The chicken stays incredibly tender after roasting, packed with layers of basil pesto, melted mozzarella and cheddar, while the oven-roasted tomatoes, garlic and onions create the base of a deeply flavorful sauce. Blending those roasted pan juices into cream cheese and cream transforms everything into something velvety, balanced and full of depth without feeling heavy.

Served over tagliatelle with Parmesan and fresh cilantro microgreens, every bite has freshness, richness and earthiness working together perfectly. The cilantro microgreens lift the creamy sauce beautifully and bring a fresh finish that ties the whole plate together.

This is the kind of meal that looks impressive, tastes restaurant-worthy and still feels deeply comforting to make at home.

Serves

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Ingredients: For The Chicken

• 6 chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin
• 2 tablespoons garlic salt
• 2 tablespoons Italian mixed herbs
• Basil pesto
• Grated cheddar cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Olive oil

Ingredients: For The Roasting Pan

• 4 to 6 garlic cloves
• Baby tomatoes
• Whole shallots or quartered onion
• Garlic saltItalian mixed herbs
• Paprika
• Extra basil pesto
• Olive oil

Ingredients: For the Sauce

• 250g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese
• 200ml cream

Ingredients: To Serve

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• Cooked tagliatelle
• Pasta
• Parmesan cheese
• Micro herbs

Method:

1. Preheat a fan assisted oven to 200°C.
2. Butterfly the chicken breasts and pound them until evenly flattened.
3. Season the chicken with garlic salt and Italian herbs and paprika.
4. Spread basil pesto over each chicken breast.
5. Top with grated cheddar and mozzarella.
6. Roll the chicken tightly and place seam side down into an oven dish drizzled with olive oil.
7. Scatter the garlic cloves, baby tomatoes and shallots or onion around the chicken.
8. Drizzle everything with olive oil.
9. Sprinkle over more garlic salt, Italian herbs and paprika.
10. Add small spoonfuls of pesto around the pan.
11. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 76°C.
12. Remove the chicken from the pan and allow it to rest.
13. Leave the roasted garlic, tomatoes, onion and juices in the oven dish.
14. Transfer everything to a food processor and blend until smooth.
15. Pour the blended sauce into a pot over medium heat.
16. Stir in the tomato paste.
17. Once heated through, reduce the heat and add the cream cheese and cream.
18. Warm gently on low heat until smooth and silky.
19. Serve the chicken sliced over tagliatelle pasta.
20. Spoon the sauce over the top and finish with Parmesan cheese and micro herbs.

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