- 1 (6-oz) piece provolone
- 6 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
- 1/4 cup chopped shallot (1 large)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 chicken breast halves with skin and bones (2 1/2 to 3 lb total)
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F. Line a shallow baking pan with foil.
- Coarsely grate cheese and set aside in a medium bowl. Pulse mushrooms and shallot in a food processor with thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until finely chopped.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushroom mixture, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir into cheese (some cheese will melt).
- Pat chicken dry, then cut a deep 3-inch-long pocket horizontally in long curved side of each chicken breast half and fill each pocket with one fourth of cheese mixture (some filling will be visible).
- Put chicken in baking pan, then melt remaining tablespoon butter and brush over chicken. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast until cooked through and cheese is melted (filling will ooze), 20 to 25 minutes.