Combining Flavors for Impact

First of all, let's just say, "CHEESE, GLORIOUS CHEESE"!! Think about it... when the cheese provides all the flavor to a dish, you know it's going to be amazing. What happens when you combine three independently strong flavors of cheese? A creamy flavor explosion, that's what!!

Three Cheese Chicken & Asparagus Bake

6 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Sour Cream
3 oz. Goat Cheese, soft
3 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
1/2 cup Sharp White Cheddar, finely grated

1) Season chicken thighs on each side with salt and pepper. Preheat a medium to large skillet and the olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken thighs to skillet and brown on each side until cooked through.

2) Remove chicken from the skillet and place in an oven proof casserole dish.

3) Trim ends of asparagus to remove the woody part of the stem. If you start breaking a stem from the bottom up you'll feel where the woody part stops as it will snap instead of just break. Trim all stems an equal distance up from the bottom. Once all stems are trimmed, cut diagonally in 2" pieces.

4) Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Once rolling, place asparagus in the pot and boil for 3 minutes. Set a timer to be sure you don't go over 3 minutes! When the timer goes off, strain the asparagus and place immediately in a bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking and keeps the bright green color.

5) Place the asparagus over the chicken, keeping the majority towards the center.

6) Using the chicken broth, deglaze the pan that the chicken was cooked in, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen anything that has stuck to the bottom. Simmer until reduced to approximately 3/4 cup.

7) Turn off heat and quickly whisk in sour cream. Add the goat cheese and Parmesan and stir until cheese has melted and sauce is creamy. Pour sauce over asparagus and chicken. Sprinkle grated cheddar on top.

8) Bake in 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese has melted. Check at 20 minutes as over cooking will cause sauce to separate. Although still just as delicious, it won't be as pretty!

This is a wonderfully rich and flavor packed comforting dish that will end up on the menu quite often! I'm going to experiment with different vegetables like broccoli and green beans, maybe even shredded brussel sprouts, but the cheeses will remain the same!