Special Occasion Stuffed Chicken Food

FESTIVE STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the potatoes in the stuffing mix, tip into a roasting tin, drizzle over the olive oil, season and roast for 30 mins.
• Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally, carefully cutting halfway through, and open them out like a book. Spread 1 tbsp Boursin cheese and ½ tbsp cranberry inside each chicken breast. Close the breasts, then wrap each in a slice of Parma ham. Line a baking tray with foil and put the chicken breasts on top. Once the potatoes have been cooking for 10 mins, put the chicken tray in and cook for the remaining 20 mins.
• Remove the chicken and potatoes, and toss the potatoes with the lemon juice and rocket. Serve the oozing chicken breasts with the potatoes on the side.

CHEESE, SPINACH & MUSHROOM STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Boil the kettle, tip the mushrooms into a small bowl, pour over boiling water to just cover, then leave to soak for 15 mins. Drain and squeeze out the mushrooms (save and freeze the liquid to make a base for a gravy) and roughly chop.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently cook the shallots and garlic for 3 mins. Turn up the heat, throw in the mushrooms and cook for a few mins more. Add the spinach, turn the heat up to high and cook until wilted and all the liquid has evaporated. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool. Beat in the cheeses and season with loads of pepper and a little salt. Set aside.
• Take the chicken breasts and remove the small fillet from the back. Cut a slit into the side of each chicken breast then stuff each one with a quarter of the spinach mixture, closing it with the cut-off fillet. Carefully wrap each stuffed chicken breast in a slice of prosciutto and chill until needed. Can be prepared up to a day ahead.
• To cook, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line up the chicken on a baking tray and roast for 20-25 mins until the prosciutto is frazzled at the edges, the cheese is oozing out and the chicken is cooked through.

MOROCCAN STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the couscous and spice mix in a small heatproof bowl and pour over 50ml hot water. Cover and set aside for 5 mins. Fluff the grains up with a fork, then stir in the apricots, pine nuts and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Make a large slit down one side of each chicken breast to form a pocket. Stuff the couscous mixture inside, then sit the chicken in a small roasting tin. Brush over the oil and roast for 20 mins until cooked through. Serve with roasted baby new potatoes and a crisp green salad.

MUSTARD-STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Mix the cheeses and mustard together. Cut a slit into the side of each chicken breast, then stuff with the mustard mixture. Wrap each stuffed chicken breast with 2 bacon rashers - not too tightly, but enough to hold the chicken together. Season, place on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 mins.

SPECIAL OCCASION STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Filling:.
• Saute' minced mushrooms in butter until cooked
• Add flour cook 4 minutes stirring often.
• Stir in cream cook until thick.
• Add cheeses , stir until melted.
• Remove from heat turn into sheet pan.
• Chill for 1 hour.
• Pound breast flat, season with salt and pepper.
• Lay 1 slice of ham on breast.
• Cut chilled mushroom filling into 6 pieces.
• Place one piece filling on top of ham on each breast.
• Roll breast, folding all edges in to seal.
• Place in casserole dish, sprayed with buttered flavored pan coating.
• Bake for 1/2 hour at 375°F, covered.
• Sauce : Mix cream of chicken soup, mushroom and white wine together.
• Pour over chicken.
• Continue to bake for 40 minutes longer uncovered.

ITALIAN STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Beat the olives or sundried tomatoes, garlic and almost all the herbs into the cheese, then season. Cut a slit along the side of each chicken breast, then use your knife to open it out into a pocket.
• Stuff each breast with a quarter of the cheese mix, then press to close. Lift onto a greased baking tray. Season the top of the chicken, then overlap tomato slices over the top of each piece of chicken. Season, then scatter with the remaining herbs. Drizzle with olive oil.
• Roast for 20 mins until the chicken is golden around the edges and the tomatoes look a little shrivelled. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread to mop up the juices.