ironchef
Executive Chef
Since I'm bored and don't have to be at work for another couple of hours...what the hell. This recipe is not as hard as it looks, and it's good for parties because of the presentation, and it's easy for guests to pick at since it is sliced into rounds. You can experiment as much as you want with the stuffing and the sauce too. It serves four as a main course, but can serve from 8-16 if it's part of a melange of dishes
Pan-Roasted Stuffed Chicken Breast with Honey-Dijon Pan Gravy
Serves 4
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts, Skin On
2 oz. Fontina or Similar semi-soft cheese, thinly sliced
2 oz. Procuitto, Carpricola, or whatever type of ham you want, thinly sliced
12 Fresh Sage Leaves
1 Large Onion, cut into 1" chunks
2 Carrots, cut into 1" chunks
2 Celery ribs, cut into 1" chunks
6 Cloves of Garlic, slightly crushed
1 Large or 2 Medium Sprigs of Rosemary
2-3 Bay Leaves
3/4 cup Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Dry White Wine
2 Tbsp. Honey
1.5 Tbsp. Dijon, Pommery, or Whole Grain Mustard
2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Zest
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
Kosher Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. Cooking Oil
1/2 cup All purpose Flour
Toothpicks or Butcher's String
Method:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover chicken breast with plastic wrap and using a meat mallet or heavy pan or skillet, pound chicken out evenly to about 1/4" thickness. Try and keep the shape of the chicken roughly rectangular or square. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken skin side down, and layer the Procuitto (or ham), cheese, and 3 sage leaves on half of the chicken, using the longer side of the breast. Roll the chicken tightly like a jelly roll, and secure tightly with the string or toothpicks. Coat the chicken with a light dusting of flour, and shake off the excess. In a heavy skillet or pan (one that can go in the oven), heat the oil on high until lightly smoking and sear the chicken on all sides until a dark golden brown (easier if you use string - if you use toothpicks, you will probably only be able to sear 2-3 sides), about 40-45 seconds per side if your pan is hot enough. Just don't keep moving around the chicken once you add it to the pan. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the Onions, Carrots, Celery, and Garlic to the pan, and saute until the vegetables start to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Strain out the excess oil, place the Chicken back in the pan on top of the vegetables, and finish cooking in the oven, approx. 20-25 minutes or until the juices run clear. When the chicken is done, remove pan from the oven, and place chicken on the side. Set pan on the stove, and on high, add the chicken stock, wine, rosemary, and bay leaves to deglaze the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browning on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to about med-high, and reduce liquid to about a 1/2 cup (approx 4-6 minutes). Stir in the honey, mustard, and lemon zest, and off the heat, quickly stir in the butter until emulsified in the sauce. Season to taste with the salt and pepper and strain the sauce from the vegetables. To serve, slice chicken into 1" medallions, and drizzle sauce over the chicken.
**The vegetables you can discard. They are just a mire poix for the pan gravy. I supposed you CAN eat them if you really want to though
Pan-Roasted Stuffed Chicken Breast with Honey-Dijon Pan Gravy
Serves 4
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts, Skin On
2 oz. Fontina or Similar semi-soft cheese, thinly sliced
2 oz. Procuitto, Carpricola, or whatever type of ham you want, thinly sliced
12 Fresh Sage Leaves
1 Large Onion, cut into 1" chunks
2 Carrots, cut into 1" chunks
2 Celery ribs, cut into 1" chunks
6 Cloves of Garlic, slightly crushed
1 Large or 2 Medium Sprigs of Rosemary
2-3 Bay Leaves
3/4 cup Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Dry White Wine
2 Tbsp. Honey
1.5 Tbsp. Dijon, Pommery, or Whole Grain Mustard
2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Zest
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
Kosher Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. Cooking Oil
1/2 cup All purpose Flour
Toothpicks or Butcher's String
Method:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover chicken breast with plastic wrap and using a meat mallet or heavy pan or skillet, pound chicken out evenly to about 1/4" thickness. Try and keep the shape of the chicken roughly rectangular or square. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken skin side down, and layer the Procuitto (or ham), cheese, and 3 sage leaves on half of the chicken, using the longer side of the breast. Roll the chicken tightly like a jelly roll, and secure tightly with the string or toothpicks. Coat the chicken with a light dusting of flour, and shake off the excess. In a heavy skillet or pan (one that can go in the oven), heat the oil on high until lightly smoking and sear the chicken on all sides until a dark golden brown (easier if you use string - if you use toothpicks, you will probably only be able to sear 2-3 sides), about 40-45 seconds per side if your pan is hot enough. Just don't keep moving around the chicken once you add it to the pan. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the Onions, Carrots, Celery, and Garlic to the pan, and saute until the vegetables start to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Strain out the excess oil, place the Chicken back in the pan on top of the vegetables, and finish cooking in the oven, approx. 20-25 minutes or until the juices run clear. When the chicken is done, remove pan from the oven, and place chicken on the side. Set pan on the stove, and on high, add the chicken stock, wine, rosemary, and bay leaves to deglaze the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browning on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to about med-high, and reduce liquid to about a 1/2 cup (approx 4-6 minutes). Stir in the honey, mustard, and lemon zest, and off the heat, quickly stir in the butter until emulsified in the sauce. Season to taste with the salt and pepper and strain the sauce from the vegetables. To serve, slice chicken into 1" medallions, and drizzle sauce over the chicken.
**The vegetables you can discard. They are just a mire poix for the pan gravy. I supposed you CAN eat them if you really want to though
