Chicken Involtini With Bacon On Bed Of Spinach Food

CHICKEN INVOLTINI WITH BACON ON BED OF SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut chicken breast into 8 strips (it's ok if they are not all the same size), lay flat on cutting board or surface. Sprinkle with parsley, salt, and pepper.
• Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese and a red pepper slice (you can break up this slice into 2 or 3 smaller pieces if necessary to make it roll more easily inside the chicken).
• Roll chicken, then wrap each roll in a slice of bacon. Use a toothpick to hold in place, or just place the roll seam side down in a broiler pan.
• Bake rolls for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked through.
• Broil 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp (if you used toothpicks to secure, remove just before broiling; otherwise, the wood will blacken).
• For bed of spinach (while rolls are baking):.
• Preheat skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and clove of garlic to the pan.
• Wilt the spinach in skillet, then add the wine to deglaze and combine with greens.
• Serve by placing 2 rolls per plate on a bed of greens.
• Note: Rachael's recipe had her frying the rolls, so that is an option as well. She put a thin layer of olive oil in a skillet and fried the rolls until golden on all sides and crisp; about 5 or 6 minutes. I personally found baking the rolls to be slightly healthier and just as tasty.

GRILLED CHICKEN INVOLTINI

Steps:

• Preheat a charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Move the coals to the side so that one part of the grill has indirect heat.
• In a small bowl stir together the olive oil, parsley, lemon zest and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate small bowl, mix together the salt, oregano and red pepper flakes.
• Lay the chicken cutlets flat on a cutting board, lengthwise, and season all sides with the salt mixture. Place a piece of prosciutto on each cutlet. Fold each piece of provolone in half and place on top of the prosciutto. Follow with 1 sundried tomato.
• Working one at a time, roll the chicken up, in a continuous spiral roll, and seal by sticking 2 parallel skewers through the roll. Proceed with the remaining chicken, sticking 2 rolls on each pair of skewers for easy flipping. Drizzle the chicken with the olive oil and grill starting directly over the coals. Sear the chicken on all sides flipping as needed, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Move the skewers to indirect heat and continue to cook until cooked through, about an additional 10 minutes or. Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Remove the skewers from the involtini, slice and serve, drizzled with the parsley oil.

INVOLTINI DI POLLO (STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS)

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place each chicken breast half between two sheets of waxed paper.
• Using a meat mallet or the dull side of a cleaver blade, press down and then push out from the center of each breast half, flattening it out evenly. Do not overpound or the breasts will break apart.
• To make the stuffing: soak the bread in the stock until it is softened, two to three minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a skillet melt the butter over medium heat.
• Add the green onions and sautee, until softened but not browned, about three minutes. Place the green onions in a mixing bowl.
• Squeeze the excess stock from the bread; discard the stock.
• Add the bread to the bowl, along with the sage, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Taste for seasoning.
• Place a slice of ham on each of the flattened chicken breast halves.
• Divide the bread stuffing between the two breasts, spreading it over the ham.
• Roll up each breast from a narrow end; the opposite end should remain uncovered and slightly overlap the roll.
• Tuck in any stuffing that may have leaked out of the ends; the ham slice will prevent stuffing from leaking out of the center of the chicken roll.
• Using cotton kitchen string, tie the rolls closed in the same fashion that a roast is laced. Toothpicks can be used to fasten the ends securely.
• Melt the butter with the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, dredge the chicken rolls in the flour and set aside.
• When the skillet is hot enough to make the chicken rolls sizzle, add them.
• Brown on all sides for no longer than five minutes. Prolonged sauteing will toughen the delicate breast meat. To turn the rolls, gently slide a spatula under them to prevent rupturing.
• Transfer the sauteed breast rolls to a casserole just large enough to accommodate them, but with enough room to keep them from touching.
• Set the skillet aside for later deglazing.
• Pour the stock over the breasts, cover tightly, and place in the preheated oven.
• Bake until the breasts are just cooked through but still juicy, 20 to 25 minutes (it took me 40 minutes for the chicken to be fully cooked).
• Remove from the oven, and transfer the rolls to a cutting board, reserving the liquid in the casserole.
• Remove the string and toothpicks and let stand for five to ten minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the pan drippings that remain in the skillet in which the breasts were sauteed.
• Add 1/2 cup of the stock from the casserole and bring to a simmer, using a wooden spoon to dislodge any bits stuck to the pan bottom.
• Add the wine and continue to simmer to evaporate the alcohol.
• Taste for salt.
• Cut each of the stuffed breasts crosswise into five or six slices and arrange on a serving platter. Pour the hot pan juices over them.

CHICKEN INVOLTINI WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES, PINE NUTS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
• COMBINE stuffing ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
• PLACE chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. With a mallet or the palm of your hand, slightly flatten out breasts.
• SHAPE handful of stuffing into a ball and place in center of each chicken breast.
• WRAP breast around the stuffing, starting with one side. Roll the breast, tucking the opposite side underneath. Season top of chicken breast (skin side) with salt and pepper.
• ROAST in oven for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked and juices run clear. Serve immediately.

ONE-POT CHICKEN BACON SPINACH PARMESAN PASTA

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, saute bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add chicken to the bacon fat and cook until center is no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon to the same bowl as the bacon.
• Saute onion in bacon fat for 1 minute. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute.
• Sprinkle in the flour, dried minced onion, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, basil, oregano and pepper. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
• Stir in chicken broth, water and milk. Increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil. Add pasta. Cook for 9-11 minutes or until al dente, stirring every 1-2 minutes to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
• Remove from heat and stir in spinach, breaking it up to spread throughout the pasta and sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese until it's incorporated. Stir in the bacon and chicken.
• Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese on top. Serve warm.