Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Chicken With Herbed Ricotta Food

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 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.

FLORENTINE PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Wring out defrosted spinach in clean kitchen towel.
• Toast nuts and combine with spinach in a bowl, mix in cheeses, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Cut into and across but not all the way through the chicken breasts, opening them up like a book with a sharp knife. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Fill each with a small mound of stuffing. Flap chicken breasts back over stuffing and wrap each breast with prosciutto to seal them, carefully covering the whole breast. Brush chicken all over with some extra-virgin olive oil and roast 18 to 20 minutes until cooked through.

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.

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.

CHEESE & PROSCIUTTO-STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4-in. thickness; spread 2 tablespoons cream cheese down the center of each. Top with one slice of prosciutto, 1 tablespoon of tomatoes and two basil leaves. Roll up and tuck in ends; secure with toothpicks., Place flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and Romano cheese. Dip chicken in flour, eggs, and then coat with bread crumb mixture., In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil in batches. Place seam side down in a greased 11x7-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165°., In a small saucepan, heat cream and shallot over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan. Stir in Gorgonzola cheese, salt and pepper. Cook 4-6 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. , Discard toothpicks. Drizzle chicken with sauce; sprinkle with minced basil.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED CHICKEN WITH GARLIC AND HERB CREAM CHEESE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together cream cheese, garlic, basil leaves and pepper.
• Place chicken tenders on a sheet of waxed paper. Spoon 1/6th of cheese filling evenly onto the center of chicken tender. Top with a second chicken tender. (Note: The original recipe didn't call for salt, but at this point you can season with salt and pepper.) Wrap a slice of prosciutto ham around the filled chicken. Repeat this to make a total of 6 stuffed chicken tenders.
• In large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat until foamy. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes, turn, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside.
• Tip: Toss hot cooked noodles in the buttery pan juices left in the skillet. Add a little chopped parsley for a great side dish.

RICOTTA-AND-HERB-STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Preheat oven to 400°F with racks in middle and lower third.
• Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in ricotta, eggs, parmesan, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Stuff and roast chickens:
• Cut out backbones from chickens with kitchen shears (freeze bones for making stock if desired). Pat chickens dry, then spread flat, skin sides up, on a cutting board. Cut a 1/2-inch slit on each side of chicken in center of triangle of skin between thigh and breast (near drumstick), then tuck knob of each drumstick thourough slit.
• Sprinkle each chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and spread chickens flat, skin sides up, in an oiled large (17- by 12-inch) shallow baking pan. Gently slide your finger between skin and flesh of breast and legs of 1 chicken to loosen skin (be careful not to tear skin). Using a small spoon, slide 2/3 cup ricotta mixture under skin, using a finger on outside of skin to spread filling over meat of breast, thighs, and drumsticks. Tuck wing tips under. Stuff second chicken in same manner. Brush skin of chickens all over with oil (2 tablespoons) and sprinkle each with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Spoon remaining filling into an oiled 1-quart shallow baking dish (10 by 7 inches).
• Bake chickens in middle of oven 30 minutes, then put dish of stuffing in oven on lower rack. Continue baking until chicken is just cooked thourough and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (through stuffing; do not touch bone) registers 170°F and until gratin is puffed and golden, about 30 minutes more. Let chickens stand 10 minutes, then cut each into quarters. Serve with gratin.

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.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN RAGù WITH HERBED RICOTTA

Steps:

• In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the chicken, carrot, onion, garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, thyme, oregano, red-pepper flakes and onion powder. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and a couple grinds of pepper.
• Pour the tomatoes and their juices into the slow cooker, crushing the tomatoes with your hands, if using whole. Stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on low until the chicken is very tender, about 6 hours. The ragù will hold well on warm for an additional 1 to 2 hours.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, in a small bowl, combine the ricotta with the chopped herbs, lemon juice and a pinch of salt; set aside.
• Coarsely shred the cooked chicken with two forks. Remove and discard the herb sprigs and add the vinegar and the basil leaves. Taste the sauce, adding more red-pepper flakes, if you like. Turn off the slow cooker. Pour the drained pasta into the slow cooker and toss to combine.
• Divide among bowls and top with the ricotta mixture.

CHICKEN STUFFED WITH HERBY MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Mix the mascarpone with the rosemary, garlic and seasoning. Place the chicken breasts on a board and lift, but don't detach, the skin. Put a spoonful of the mascarpone mix under the skin of each breast. Wrap 2 slices of prosciutto around each, as neatly and tightly as you can, to keep the filling enclosed.
• Heat a non-stick frying pan, add the olive oil and quickly brown the chicken on both sides. Transfer to a roasting tin, then finish off in the oven for 15-20 mins until just cooked.
• Add the lemon juice to the roasting tin and stir over the heat, scraping off any crispy bits. Spoon the juices over the chicken and serve with potatoes and green beans.