Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Pan-Grilled Corn

Everyone likes something fancy on occasion, and though most recipes for stuffed chicken are a pain, this one uses whole boneless breasts to enclose the filling, requiring only three ties around each to hold things together. (And you use just one skillet!)

Think of an inside-out fajita, stuffed with peppers and onions, then cooked and sliced. And you can try almost anything for the stuffing: leftover cooked vegetable, grains, or beans; nuts and plumped dried fruit; reconstituted dried mushrooms or dried tomatoes; or even slices of fresh fruit, like plums or peaches; keep the filling to less than a cup. (You can also use a different vegetable instead of the corn, and treat it the same way.)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

4 boneless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)

6 ears fresh corn, shucked; or use about 4 cups of frozen corn

1 fresh chile, like serrano or jalapeño, seeded if you like, and chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons sherry or white wine vinegar, or the juice of 1 lime

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 Heat the oven to 350°F. Cut six 12-inch pieces of butcher twine. Put 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, fairly dry and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and cook, stirring frequently until the mixture softens and comes together a bit, another 3 minutes or so.

2 Spread 2 chicken breasts out on a work surface so that the side where the bones were is faceup; flatten them a bit with the bottom of a pot or the palm of your hand. Spread about ½ cup of the onion mixture on top of each breast, then top with the remaining breasts, end to end, so that the tapered side is on the same side as the rounded side (this ensures a tidy roll and even cooking). Tie each stuffed breast in three places with twine. Sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper and roll them around in the same pan you used to cook the vegetables, coating them in whatever oil and juices remain in the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and opaque, 25 to 30 minutes.

3 Remove the chicken from the pan and tent with foil. Set the pan over high heat and add the last tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the corn, chile, and garlic; let sit for a moment. As the corn browns, use a spatula to toss the corn so that each kernel is deeply browned on at least one side. Remove from the heat, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir in the vinegar or lime juice, a tablespoon or two of water, and the cilantro, scraping to stir up any browned bits from the pan. Remove the string from the chicken and slice crosswise into thin or thick pieces. Serve, with a big spoonful of the corn on the side.