Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast Food

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread 1 tablespoon of olive oil on a baking sheet, and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the shallots, and cook until they turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook and stir an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the shallot mixture to a bowl. Mix in the goat cheese, dates, and basil; stir until well combined.
• With a sharp knife, cut a 1-inch long slit into the thick side of each chicken breast. Work your fingers into the slit, and expand the slit to form a pocket in the breast meat. With your fingers or a spoon, stuff each chicken breast with about 1/4 cup of the goat cheese mixture. Wipe off any cheese mixture from the outside of the chicken breast, and wrap each breast in a slice of prosciutto so that the pocket opening is covered. Place the chicken breasts, seam sides down, onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken meat is no longer pink and the prosciutto is browned and crisp, about 40 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts over after 20 minutes.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED CHICKEN BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Using a small knife, make an incision in the top rounded end of a chicken breast, cutting through the center and to the ends without breaking the sides, to form a pocket for the stuffing.
• Combine the tomatoes, ricotta, walnuts, sage and egg yolk in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Using a spoon (or place the filling into a piping bag without a tip), stuff one of the chicken breasts with half of the ricotta mixture. Seal the cut end of the chicken closed using a toothpick. Repeat with the other chicken breast.
• Lay the prosciutto into 2 sheets (3 pieces each) and roll around each stuffed breast. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Heat the canola oil in a large, ovenproof saute pan until almost smoking. Sear the chicken breasts on the seam side of the prosciutto, then flip and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast until the center of the chicken registers 160 degrees F, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the pan, add the capers and shallots and cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute to soften the shallots. Add the chicken stock and cook until reduced by half, then swirl in the butter. Add the parsley and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
• Slice the chicken and serve with the sauce over the top.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED CHICKEN INVOLTINI WITH PEAS AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Add the peas to a bowl and begin to mash them with the back of a fork until they are mostly broken down. Add the ricotta and use the fork to blend and mash them together. Add the Parmesan, lemon zest, chile flakes, garlic powder and onion powder and stir to combine. Set the mixture aside while you prepare the chicken.
• Place the chicken cutlets between 2 pieces of parchment paper and pound them with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they are 1/4-inch thick. Remove the top layer of parchment paper and sprinkle the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Divide the pea and ricotta mixture evenly among the chicken cutlets, smoothing it out to cover the surface area.
• Working one at a time, starting with the large end of the cutlet, roll the chicken up in a continuous spiral. Place the chicken on a plate seam-side down and continue the process with the remaining chicken.
• Shingle 3 slices of prosciutto so they slightly overlap. Place one piece of chicken about a third of the way up from the bottom of the prosciutto. Similarly to wrapping a burrito, bring the base of the prosciutto up over the chicken, roll the chicken once, then fold in the ends of the prosciutto, so that the ends of the chicken are covered, and continue to roll until the chicken is completely wrapped in the prosciutto. Set aside and continue the process with the remaining chicken.
• Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the skillet. Add the prosciutto-wrapped chicken to the skillet and sear it on all sides. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the prosciutto is golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED STUFFED CHICKEN WITH HERBED RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Measure the ricotta cheese into a small bowl. Add in parsley, sage, rosemary and garlic. Add in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir well to blend.
• Butterfly each chicken breast and fill each with a fourth of the ricotta cheese mixture. Wrap each chicken breast in a slice of the proscuitto di Parma.
• Add 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil to an ovenproof skillet. Warm over medium high heat. Add in prepared chicken breasts and brown, turning once for 4 to 6 minutes. Place the pan with the chicken in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove chicken from pan, deglaze the pan with chicken stock, add in lemon juice, butter and additional stock as needed to make a sauce. Spoon over chicken.
• This is delicious served with oven roasted asparagus and makes and elegant but simple meal.

PAN-FRIED STUFFED CHICKEN WITH PROSCIUTTO, MOZZARELLA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°.
• Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise to make 4 portions. Cut a slit into the sides of each portion. Insert a slice of prosciutto, a slice of cheese and 2 whole basil leaves into each slit. Secure well with a toothpick.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot; add the chicken. Reduce heat to medium; cook, turning once, until chicken is browned, about 3 minutes per side.
• Transfer chicken to a baking pan.
• Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 15-18 minutes.
• Transfer to a platter.
• Meanwhile, heat the broth, mustard and garlic to a boil in the same skillet over high heat; cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in sliced basil; pour over chicken.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED CHERRY-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Brush the inside of an oven-proof skillet with vegetable oil. Set aside.
• Mix cherries, bread crumbs, egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, olive oil, thyme, oregano, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper until combined.
• Cut a 1-inch slit in each chicken breast by slicing at an angle from the thick end of the breast toward the thinner end.
• Open flap and place one butterflied chicken breast between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Repeat with the other breast.
• Place half the stuffing on each chicken breast, place each breast on a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a tight roll, twisting the ends of the plastic wrap to hold create a tight package.
• On a piece of plastic wrap, slightly overlap 2 slices of prosciutto so they are as wide as the rolled chicken breast. Unwrap rolled chicken breast and place the breast at one end of the prosciutto. Roll prosciutto around the stuffed breast using the plastic to make a tight roll. Repeat with the second stuffed breast and remaining 2 slices of prosciutto.
• Lay 4 pieces of string on the cutting board, about 1-inch apart. Place chicken roll across the strings, and tie each into a knot to keep the chicken from unrolling. Repeat for the second stuffed breast.
• Place stuffed, rolled chicken breasts in the prepared skillet and bake in the preheated oven until the prosciutto is browned and crispy and chicken is no longer pink, about 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove chicken to a plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil.
• Drain grease from the pan as desired, leaving juice and browned bits. Pour in chicken stock and balsamic vinegar, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until liquid has reduced by half, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Remove twine from chicken breasts; slice into bite-sized pieces. Serve drizzled with pan sauce.