Stuffed Chicken Breasts Wrapped In Sage And Prosciutto Food

CHEESE AND PROSCIUTTO STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven: To 450 F degrees.
• Prepare the chicken: Flatten the chicken breasts using a meat mallet to pound them until they are about ¼ inch to ½ inch in thickness.
• Assemble the chicken breasts: Spread ½ the cream cheese on each chicken breast. Top with basil leaves, then 2 slices of prosciutto on each breast and a tbsp of chopped sun-dried tomatoes on each breast. Carefully roll up the breasts and secure with toothpicks. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the chicken: Heat the olive oil in an oven proof skillet and brown the chicken, placing first with seam side down until just slightly golden brown. You may need to remove toothpicks to brown on all sides. Place skillet in oven and bake chicken for an additional 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
• Finish the dish: Remove chicken from skillet onto a cutting board, discard toothpicks and wait about 15 minutes before slicing each chicken breast. To double the recipe simply double all the ingredients.

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 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.

SAGE & PROSCIUTTO CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup flour in a shallow bowl; set aside. Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper; top each breast half with 2 sage leaves and 2 slices prosciutto, pressing to adhere. Dip chicken sides only in flour to coat., In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium heat; cook chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and chicken is no longer pink. Remove and keep warm., In a small bowl, whisk the chicken broth, lemon juice, wine and remaining flour; add to the skillet, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Spoon over chicken. Top chicken with lemon and sage if desired.

STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WRAPPED IN SAGE AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Cut deep slit along one side of each chicken breast and open it out like a book.
• Mince 4 sage leaves, mix into ricotta and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Lay 2 prosciutto slices on cutting board, overlapping them slightly.
• Put a sage leaf in middle and lay an open chicken breast on top.
• Spoon a quarter of ricotta mixture onto the middle of chicken, then fold sides together to enclose the filling.
• Now wrap prosciutto slices around the stuffed chicken breast and wrap in plastic wrap.
• Repeat with rest of chicken breasts and chill for 1 to 2 hours to firm up slightly.
• Place roasting pan in oven and set it to preheat to 180c (350F).
• Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. When hot, pan-fry the prosciutto-wrapped chicken, in batches if necessary, for 2 min on each side till browned.
• Lay 2 sprigs of thyme on each chicken breast and place in hot roasting pan. Cook in oven for 12 to 15 min, or until the meat feels just firm when lightly pressed.
• Cover pan with foil and rest the chicken in a warm place for 5 to 10 minute Slice each stuffed breast thickly on the diagonal and arrange on warm plates.
• Serve with steamed greens and light mashed potatoes or a zesty couscous.

PROSCIUTTO SKEWERED CHICKEN WITH FRIED SAGE LEAVES

Steps:

• Put the chicken breasts between two sheets of greaseproof paper and beat with a rolling pin until roughly twice their original size. Lay two rippled slices of prosciutto on top of each breast and secure with cocktail sticks. Dust each breast lightly with flour, then season with salt and pepper. (Can be made several hours ahead up to this point, and chilled.)
• Heat the oil in a frying pan, drop in the sage leaves (they should sizzle) and fry for 30 seconds until just crisp. They can burn quickly so watch them. Lift out the leaves with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Add the butter to the pan, let it melt, then fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked and well browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Pour in the wine, stirring well to scrape all the lovely sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture bubble until the wine is reduced by about half. Stir in the cream or crème fraîche, put the chicken back in the pan and heat through. Scatter the fried sage leaves on top and serve with pasta tossed with a little olive oil and some freshly chopped sage leaves.