Ricotta And Ham Stuffed Chicken Breasts Food

RICOTTA, SPINACH, AND HAM STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST MARSALA WITH PINE NUT PILAF

Steps:

• Cut 4 long pieces of kitchen twine.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a liberal drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons butter and saute the mushrooms for 8 to10 minute to darken.
• Meanwhile, butterfly the chicken breasts open and pound them out very thin, no more than 1/8-inch thick. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and top each piece of chicken with 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese and spread it around. Top with 1/4 of the spinach and season with freshly grated nutmeg, salt and pepper. Then top each piece of chicken with a slice of speck. Roll the chicken into bundles and secure with twine. Season the bundles with salt and pepper and dredge lightly in flour.
• Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and remove to a plate. Add extra-virgin olive oil to coat the pan. Add the chicken and cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover with foil. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan, sprinkle in 2 tablespoons flour, and deglaze the pan with marsala. Add the broth and cook to thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes, and then add the mushrooms to combine. Remove the string from the chicken and top with sauce. Serve with Pine Nut Pilaf.
• Melt the butter in a saucepot over medium heat. Add the orzo and pine nuts and toast until golden. Add the rice and stir in the stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer, and cover. Cook for 18 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

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.

SPINACH AND RICOTTA-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH LEMONY WHITE WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the Stuffing: In a bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, Gorgonzola, and bacon and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add the egg, mix well, and set aside.
• Make the Sauce: Combine the wine and stock in a non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a sauce-like consistency. Whisk in the mustard, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• Make the Chicken: Place each chicken breast between 2 doubled-up sheets of plastic wrap, and pound to an even 1/4-inch thickness with a meat-pounder or rolling pin. Divide the stuffing between the breasts, mounding it along the center of each. Fold the bottom edge of each breast over the stuffing, fold in the sides, and roll forward until completely wrapped, to form a tight rolled package. Secure each flap with a toothpick. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Cover the skillet, turn the heat down to low, and cook until just cooked through, about 5 minutes more.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the sauce into the skillet over high heat and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon.
• Slice the chicken into medallions, divide among plates, and spoon some of the sauce over each. Garnish with parsley and erve immediately.

RICOTTA-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. Gently loosen skin from chicken breasts; stuff cheese mixture under skin., Place on a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan; brush with oil. Bake at 375° for 35-45 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170°.

RICOTTA AND HAM STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, basil and garlic.
• Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut a slit along thick edge of each breast half, forming a pocket. Open breast halves like a book and lay one slice of ham in each.
• Spoon 1/4 of ricotta mixture on top of each ham slice, then close chicken over filling and fasten with toothpicks.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken on both sides with flour until well coated. Discard remaining flour.
• In a large skillet, warm oil and butter over medium-high heat until butter melts and begins to foam. Add chicken to pan and cook 5 minutes; flip and cook on second side for an additional 4-5 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink inside (cut to test). Serve hot.

GORDON RAMSAY'S STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut a deep slit along one side of each chicken breast, without slicing right through, then open it out like a book. On a clean chopping board, finely chop 4 sage leaves, then mix into the ricotta and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Lay two Parma ham slices on the board, overlapping them slightly. Put a sage leaf in the middle and lay an open chicken breast on top. Spoon a quarter of the ricotta mixture onto the middle of the chicken, then fold the sides together again, to enclose the filling. Now wrap the Parma ham slices around the stuffed chicken breast. Wrap in cling film. Repeat with the rest of the chicken breasts and chill for 1-2hrs to firm up slightly.
• Heat the oven to 350F and place a roasting pan in the oven to heat up. Heat a heavy-based frying pan and add the olive oil. When hot, fry the Parma-wrapped chicken, in batches if necessary, for 2 mins on each side until browned.
• Lay a few thyme sprigs on each chicken breast, then place in the hot roasting pan. Cook in the oven for 12-15 mins, depending on size, or until the meat feels just firm when lightly pressed.
• Rest the chicken, covered with foil, in a warm place for 5-10 minutes Slice each stuffed breast thickly on the diagonal and arrange on warm plates.