Chicken Roulade With Asiago And Pine Nuts Food

CHICKEN ROULADE WITH ASIAGO AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the chicken breast between plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thickness.
• Remove top layer of plastic and spread onions and cheese on chicken, leaving about 1 inch bare towards the wider end of the breast.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Beginning at the skinnier end of the breast, start rolling it up tightly, and wrap the roulade in plastic and refrigerate until firm.
• Place the bread, pine nuts, thyme, salt, and pepper in a food processor and process until it is evenly formed into a powder.
• Unwrap the chicken and place it at the top edge of the plastic wrap.
• Spread the crumb mixture evenly on the plastic wrap, and roll the chicken across it until it is covered well.
• Place a toothpick through the chicken if it does not want to hold closed very well; or tie with kitchen twine.
• Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet and brown roulade, seam side down first, turning gently to brown other sides.
• With seam side down, finish cooking the roulade in the skillet in the oven at 375F for 10 minutes.
• Turn the roulade over, and cook in the oven for 10 minutes more, or until firm.
• Remove toothpicks or twine, if used.
• Place the roulade on a cutting board, and with a sharp knife, cut it into six medallions before serving.

CHICKEN BRAISED WITH POTATOES AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven large enough to hold the chicken in one layer, heat the olive oil over high until shimmering. Season chicken pieces on the skin side with salt and pepper, then lay them in the pan, skin-side down. Adjust the heat so they sizzle but do not pop or scorch. Cook until skin is deeply browned and comes away easily from the pan, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Add onions, celery and garlic to the fat in the pot, season with salt and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with the wine and vinegar. Stir in 1/2 cup water, pine nuts, bay leaves, cloves and saffron (if using). Return the chicken pieces to the pan, and nestle them into the liquid, skin-side up.
• Cover tightly and let cook undisturbed over the lowest possible heat until cooked through, about 45 minutes.
• Add the potatoes, then add more water until the liquid barely covers the potatoes. If in doubt, use less; you can always add more. Cover again and cook another 20 minutes.
• When ready to serve, gently reheat. Taste the cooking liquid and season with salt, pepper and a drop more vinegar if needed. Stir in the kale and simmer, uncovered, until completely cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter and parsley and serve, sprinkling each serving with more parsley.

CHEESY CHICKEN ROULADES WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place one chicken breast between 2 pieces of parchment paper or wax paper and pound it with a meat tenderizer (or the bottom of a heavy skillet) until it is 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
• Combine the basil, Parmesan, garlic and pine nuts in a blender. Pulse for 15 seconds, then with the blender running, stream in the oil. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed and continue blending until the pesto is pureed. Taste and season the pesto with salt and pepper.
• Spread one-fourth of the pesto on one side of each of the chicken breasts, then top the pesto with 3 slices of mozzarella per chicken breast. Beginning at the shorter end, tightly roll up each chicken breast and secure it with a toothpick. Sprinkle the outsides of the roulades with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil. Once the oil is hot, add the roulades and sear them on all sides until they're browned, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the roulades until they are cooked throughout and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the roulades from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks, then slice and serve.