Ingredients
- Protein: 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- The Cheese: 1 ½ cups Cache Valley Swiss Cheese, shredded
- The Goddess Filling: 4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup fresh chives, finely minced
- 2 tbsp fresh tarragon, minced
- ¼ cup Italian parsley, minced
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- The Coating: 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs mixed with 1 tbsp melted butter and a pinch of salt
- The Glaze: 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (thinned with a splash of water)
Steps
- Mix the “Paste” In a bowl, aggressively mash the softened cream cheese together with the shredded Cache Valley Swiss, garlic, lemon zest, fresh herbs, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. You want this mixture to act like a thick, cohesive paste. The cream cheese will anchor the Swiss so it doesn’t just melt out into the pan while baking.
- The Hasselback Cuts: Place a wooden spoon handle or a chopstick on either side of the chicken breast resting on the cutting board. Slice horizontally across the chicken breast every ½ inch. The chopsticks will stop your knife from cutting all the way through, leaving the base of the chicken intact.
- Stuff and Season: Gently fan out the chicken breast to open the cuts. Using a small spoon or your fingers, press a generous dollop of the Swiss and herb mixture deep into each slit. Wipe any excess off the very top so the chicken surface is mostly clean. Once stuffed, season the entire outside of the chicken breasts evenly with salt and pepper.
- Top and Bake: Brush the top of the chicken lightly with the thinned Dijon mustard. Sprinkle the buttered Panko over the top, pressing it lightly so it adheres to the mustard and the exposed edges of the chicken. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes. The cuts allow the heat to penetrate faster, so start checking the internal temperature around the 20-minute mark to ensure it hits 165°F
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Author Bio
Jenn Martello
Jenn Martello is a Corporate Chef with a proven track record of driving product innovation for leading food brands and restaurants. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Pasadena, she expertly combines her culinary foundation with polished presentation skills to support national trade show activations and new product launches. Formerly a sought-after private chef in Salt Lake City and Park City, Jenn also served as a culinary representative for the Utah Department of Agriculture. Her notable roles include Corporate Chef at Mahalo, where her digital cooking tutorials significantly expanded the brand’s online reach. As a familiar and recognized culinary voice throughout the region, Jenn is frequently featured on “Good Things Utah.”
When not in the kitchen, Jenn embraces the outdoor Utah lifestyle—road biking, mountain biking, paddle boarding, and skiing—sometimes even cooking in the great outdoors. She is also a proud mother to two amazing kids: a daughter who shares her baking passion and a son with an adventurous palate. Connect with Jenn: Instagram @chefjennmartello | TikTok @chefjennmartello
