Herb-and-Cheese-Filled Chicken Thighs

So I wanted to get all fancy and try something that I usually would be too afraid to make. I figured any recipe I picked from Food and Wine would be more difficult than my usual, and I decided to make these Herb-and-Cheese-Filled Chicken Thighs. I did make some modifications like changing the serving size to 2 rather than 8.  The measurements are approximations. Here's how it's done:

Herb-and-Cheese-Filled Chicken Thighs from Mario Batali of Food and Wine 

(modified by me)  

3/8 cups Italian bread crumbs

1/8 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 small egg, lightly beaten

3/8 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/8 cup coarsely chopped basil

1/16 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Finely grated zest of 1/2 a lemon

1/4 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

4 boneless chicken thighs with skin (about 5 ounces each)

Salt and freshly ground pepper 

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a medium bowl, combine the fresh bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, Provolone, chopped basil, chopped parsley, lemon zest and rosemary. Set the chicken thighs, skin side down, on a work surface and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mound 1/4 cup of the herb-and-cheese filling on each thigh. Fold the sides of the thighs over the filling to enclose it and tie each chicken thigh in 2 or 3 places with kitchen string. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

2. Arrange the stuffed chicken thighs on a large, rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then discard the strings and serve.

I made the mistake of getting bone-in chicken thighs, so I had to de-bone them (for the first time ever, I did a good job if I may say so myself!). I must admit, there was plenty of stuffing leftover. The lemon zest added a great flavor. While I thought it was pretty good, I won't deny that it maybe needed something else. My fiancee, who always wants bold flavors, didn't think this had much flavor. So maybe next time I will add more flavor somehow. And definitely get the boneless thighs to save me a step.

Here is the finished result...

And there I am, ready to eat the plate (and serve it to PJ!)