Pesto-Stuffed Turkey Tenderloins In Almond Butter Sauce

I ran across some turkey tenderloins at the store the other day. I’ve been burned out on bland chicken for a while now, so I thought I’d give a new twist to my old chicken cutlet recipe. I know the name of this dish sounds complicated, but it’s really easy to cook.

I already had some homemade oregano pesto left over in the fridge. You can follow that recipe or just buy a small jar at the store. Here’s almost everything you need. I forgot the wine and cornstarch.

Pesto-Stuffed Turkey Tenderloins In Almond Butter Sauce

2 turkey tenderloins
1/3 cup pesto
1/4 cup almonds, slivered
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon corn starch
salt & pepper to taste

Trim any fat off the tenderloins. Use a paring knife to slice a pouch in the middle and spread the pesto inside. But remember, the turkey will shrink when it cooks. Don’t overstuff them or else the pesto will start leaking out, ruining the almond butter sauce. Seal with a toothpick or two. Finally, season them with salt, pepper and a little olive oil.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat some olive oil over medium heat in an oven-safe saucepan that’s just big enough to hold the tenderloins. Brown the tenderloins on one side for about 5 minutes until there’s a nice crust on the meat.

Flip them over and place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, just until the center reaches 160°.

Remove the tenderloins and let them cool on a plate under some foil. If the pesto leaked out all over the pan, don’t worry about it. You can pour the oil out and gently blot the pan with a paper towel. Or you could just tell everyone you made an “herb-roasted” almond butter sauce. They won’t know any difference. This is why you should be vague about the menu when cooking for others.

Place the pan back on the stove top over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of butter and the slivered almonds and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring often. While the almonds are toasting, measure the white wine into a cup and add the corn starch.

Whisk until there are no visible lumps. I know it’s just a little corm starch, but this is something you should never screw up. If you don’t break up the pieces, they’ll float around in your sauce like tiny dumplings. When the almonds are finished toasting, add the wine and cornstarch mixture. While it’s bubbling, use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the burned bits.

Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the turkey tenderloins and any juices from the plate to the pan and flip the tenderloins a few times to coat both sides with the sauce.

When the sauce is done, remove the tenderloins. If you want, slice them to reveal the pesto stuffing. Finally, Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining butter. Stir until it’s just blended.

Pour the sauce over the plated tenderloins. These came out really good. The sauce was sweet and rich, the almonds were nicely softened, and the pesto stuffing was evenly dispersed.