Chicken With Mozzarella Basil And Parma Ham Food

EASY CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Cut the chicken breasts horizontally lengthways so that you have four large flat pieces of chicken.
• Place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and, using a mallet or rolling pin, bash the chicken to flatten it, until it is around 1/8 inch thick. Try to ensure you have an even thickness throughout.
• Get three bowls. In one bowl, put the flour. In the second bowl, crack the eggs and whisk together with a fork until well mixed. In the third bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic salt, herbs, salt and pepper.
• Now crumb the chicken: with each chicken piece, first dredge it in flour until well coated, then dip in the egg until fully covered, and finally turn it over in the breadcrumbs until fully coated. Set aside until ready to cook.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan. Once it is hot, place two of the chicken pieces into the pan. They should sizzle as they hit the pan. Cook until browned underneath - around 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook on the other side until cooked through - a further 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
• Repeat step 5 with the remaining two pieces of chicken.
• Place all the chicken pieces onto a baking tray. Scoop one tablespoon of marinara sauce onto each piece of chicken and spread across the chicken.
• Top each piece of chicken with a slice of ham. Divide the cheese between the chicken pieces and spread out.
• Place the tray with the chicken under a pre-heated broiler and cook until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown,

CHICKEN WRAPPED IN PARMA HAM

Steps:

• Trim chicken breast fillets and lay on a board or worktop. Remove inner fillets and reserve. Season all pieces with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay sage leaves along the length of large fillets. Replace inner fillets to enclose sage.
• Wrap each fillet neatly with Parma ham. Heat sunflower oil in a pan and fry wrapped chicken breasts over medium heat all over to brown ham and cook chicken through - about 5 minutes - depending on size of fillets.
• Meanwhile make the sauce. Heat remaining oil in a pan and fry onion and garlic over gentle heat to soften but not brown. Add Cirio Cherry Tomatoes and SuperCirio Tomato Puree and bring to bubbling. Cook 2-3 minutes to reduced slightly. Stir in black olives and capers and season.
• Serve fillets whole, or halved, with sauce poured around. Decorate with sage leaves.

CHICKEN WITH CRISPY PARMA HAM

Steps:

• Cook the new potatoes in boiling salted water for 10-15 mins, until just tender, adding the green beans for the final 2 mins. Meanwhile, put each chicken breast between two sheets of cling film and bash them with a rolling pin until they're about 1cm thick. Season.
• Heat a large frying pan and add the Parma ham. Cook for 2 mins, until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Add the oil to the pan and add two of the chicken breasts. Cook for 3 mins each side, transfer to a plate and keep warm. Cook the other two breasts in the same way.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the garlic and lemon juice. Toss in the drained beans and potatoes and crumble in the Parma ham. Divide the chicken and veg between four plates.

ITALIAN CHICKEN WITH HAM, BASIL & BEANS

Steps:

• Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pinch off 8 sprigs from the basil (about 3 leaves each per sprig) and lay one on top of each chicken thigh. Wrap each thigh in a piece of ham, with the ends tucked underneath.
• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat the oil in a large roasting tin over two of the burners on the hob. Add the chicken and fry for about 4 mins or until the ham is just crisped and the chicken is lightly golden. Turn and repeat.
• Meanwhile, cut the garlic bulbs in half around the middle and halve the tomatoes if small, quarter them if they're big. Pick the leaves from the rest of the basil. Once the chicken has browned on both sides, add all of the tomatoes, half of the basil and the wine. Season then cover with foil and leave to cook slowly in the oven for 40 mins.
• Take out of the oven and turn the heat up to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Remove the foil from the pan and stir the beans into the tomatoey juices. Return to the oven, uncovered, for 30 mins until the tomatoes, chicken and garlic are starting to crisp around the edges and the chicken is very tender. Just before serving, tear the remaining basil roughly then stir through or scatter over the pan.

CHICKEN STUFFED WITH MOZZARELLA WRAPPED IN PARMA HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butterfly the chicken breasts. Season all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning.
• Stuff with mozzarella slices, and fresh basil, then drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Close chicken over the top of the fillings. Wrap completely with prosciutto slices. The prosciutto should stay in place but you can use toothpicks to secure it if desired. The toothpicks will also help cheese from oozing out while it cooks.
• Add chicken breasts to an oiled cast iron or casserole dish, then drizzle the tops with remaining olive oil. Bake in the oven for 20- 30 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Serve with more basil, and a quick arugula side salad made with tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic, and a little salt and pepper.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven, microwave or on the stovetop.

CHICKEN WITH MOZZARELLA, BASIL AND PARMA HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200C, fan 180°C Lay out the fillets on a board.
• Season all over and carefully make a small incision about 4-5 cm (2-2 1/2 in) long and 3cm (1 1/2in) deep in the centre of each one to make a 'pocket'.
• Stuff 2 slices of the mozzarella and 3 basil leaves into each of the pockets - don't worry if either the herbs or cheese poke out a little.
• Wrap each chicken breast with 1 1/2 slices of the Parma ham to conceal the pocket.
• Heat the oil in a pan and sear each breast on both sides until golden.
• Place on a roasting tray in the oven for 8 minutes, until cooked through and the cheese is oozing.
• Serve with boiled potatoes in herb butter, plus salad.

MOZZARELLA CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of wax paper. Pound each to 1/4 inch thickness. Spread butter/margarine over the inside, then add salt and pepper to taste.
• Place slice of cheese on breast, roll and close with toothpicks. Repeat with each breast. Dip rolled breasts in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Place coated breasts in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
• To Make Sauce: In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter and add garlic. Add wine and simmer all together. Pour sauce over chicken and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes.

MARCELLA HAZAN'S ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Wash the chicken thoroughly in cold water, both inside and out. Remove all the bits of fat hanging loose. Let the bird sit for about 10 minutes on a slightly tilted plate to let all the water drain out of it. Pat it thoroughly dry all over with cloth or paper towels.
• Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and black pepper on the chicken, rubbing it with your fingers over all its body and into its cavity.
• Wash the lemons in cold water and dry them with a towel. Soften each lemon by placing it on a counter and rolling it back and forth as you put firm downward pressure on it with the palm of your hand. Puncture the lemons in at least 20 places each, using a sturdy round toothpick, a trussing needle, a sharp-pointed fork, or similar implement.
• Place both lemons in the bird's cavity. Close up the opening with toothpicks or with trussing needle and string. Close it well, but don't make an absolutely airtight job of it because the chicken may burst. Run kitchen string from one leg to the other, tying it at both knuckle ends. Leave the legs in their natural position without pulling them tight. If the skin is unbroken, the chicken will puff up as it cooks, and the string serves only to keep the thighs from spreading apart and splitting the skin.
• Put the chicken into a roasting pan, breast facing down. Do not add cooking fat of any kind. This bird is self-basting, so you need not fear it will stick to the pan. Place it in the upper third of the preheated oven. After 30 minutes, turn the chicken over to have the breast face up. When turning it, try not to puncture the skin. If kept intact, the chicken will swell like a balloon, which makes for an arresting presentation at the table later. Do not worry too much about it, however, because even if it fails to swell, the flavor will not be affected.
• Cook for another 30 to 35 minutes, then turn the oven thermostat up to 400 degrees, and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Calculate between 20 and 25 minutes total cooking time for each pound. There is no need to turn the chicken again.
• Whether your bird has puffed up or not, bring it to the table whole and leave the lemons inside until it is carved and opened. The juices that run out are perfectly delicious. Be sure to spoon them over the chicken slices. The lemons will have shriveled up, but they still contain some juice; do not squeeze them, they may squirt.