Stuffed Chicken Divan with Sherry Dijon Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups (4-ounces) fresh broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup (2-ounces) grated Gruyère cheese
• tab of butter
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 4 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (go easy on the salt because the sherry has a lot of salt already)
• 1 cup low-fat evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (or more)
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler. Mist a shallow rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until bright green and crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well again and squeeze dry in paper towels.
2. In the mean time, sauté your garlic in a small pan in a bit of butter, 2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Chop the broccoli and toss in a bowl with Gruyère and sautéed garlic mixture. Insert a paring knife into the thickest part of each chicken breast to make a pocket. Use your fingers here to extend the pocket as large as the piece of chicken can handle. Stuff each chicken breast with equal amounts of the broccoli mixture. Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with oil and thyme and season with salt and pepper. You may need to stab the opening of your chicken breasts with toothpicks to prevent the stuffing from spilling out during the cooking process. If you do, remember to take these out later.
4. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Put the chicken in the pan and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. If the chicken begins to brown too quickly, turn the heat down to medium to finish cooking through. Transfer to the baking dish.
5. Combine the milk and stock in a small pot, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir the sherry and cornstarch until smooth and whisk consistently. Cook until just thickened, about 2 minutes. You may need to add more cornstarch if the sauce is too runny. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan. Top each chicken breast with a bit of sauce, enough to wet the chicken, and place under the broiler. Broil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes. Once rested, cut each chicken breast in half on an angle. Whisk the mustard into the remaining sauce and spread a few tablespoons on each plate. Top with halved chicken breast, serve hot and enjoy.