Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts
This particular chicken breast was tied with string because the prosciutto slices were too short to wrap all the way around the breast. Normally, the breast is small enough and the prosciutto slices are long enough that this step isn’t necessary.
This recipe was inspired by Al Chatter’s stuffed lamb loins, at the Pig and Olive, and Gordon Ramsay’s prosciutto wrapped chicken breasts. Naturally, I had to add my own twist. The result is time consuming to prepare, but the results are divine! Well worth the extra effort required and very versatile in both presentation and use.
6 long pieces of thinly sliced prosciutto
2 chicken ( skinless boneless ) breasts ( halves )
½ cup cheeses grated blended ( smoked gouda, old cheddar, mozzarella blend )
½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley
½ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup pistachio nuts
2 Tbsp olive oil for the pesto
1 Tbsp chopped shallot
1 small clove garlic chopped
4 tsp of olive oil for frying
Pesto:
In a small food processor, combine the cilantro, basil, pistachio nuts, garlic, shallot and garlic. Whiz until smooth paste is formed. Set aside.
Cheese:
Grate the cheeses you choose to make a blend. I have made it with a tiny bit of Feta ( it’s very salty so be careful how much you use ), Asiago, Romano, Havarti – use any blend that’s pleasing to you or what you have on hand. For this batch I used Old Cheddar, Smoked Gouda and Mozzarella.
Combine the pesto and grated cheese. Mix well. Set aside.
Wash the chicken breasts and pat dry. Using a sharp butcher knife, cut the chicken breast horizontally to within ½ inch or 1 cm ( the thickness of your baby finger ), to butterfly the breast. Flip the breast open, take half the pesto cheese mixture and cover one half of the breast. Fold the other side of the chicken breast over the stuffing and pinch closed. Repeat the process with the second breast.
Lay 3 prosciutto slices on a board so they overlap. Press the edges together to form a solid sheet of prosciutto. Lay one chicken breast across the prosciutto slices with the seam on the inside. Tightly wrap the chicken breast in the prosciutto by rolling and tucking until the chicken is completely encased in the prosciutto. Repeat with the second breast and remaining prosciutto. Tightly wrap the prosciutto chicken breasts in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Note: If the prosciutto slices are too short to wrap completely around the chicken breast, wrap the prosciutto around the seam of the chicken breasts and tie the breast with string as you would for a rolled roast and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 350F and place a shallow roasting pan in the oven to heat.
In a frying pan, brown the chicken rolls on each side ( about 2 minutes per side ). Transfer the browned chicken breast to the hot roasting pan. Bake at 350F for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breast and the thickness of the rolls. Remove from the oven, cover with foil for 5 minutes, and allow them to rest.
When ready to serve, remove the string if you had to use some, and cut the chicken breasts on the diagonal into thick serving slices. If any of the stuffing oozes out, put it in a small bowl and serve it on the side.
This is lovely with Parisian or mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus, broccoli or green beans.
Serves 4 to 6 adults depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
Note: You can easily double this recipe to serve a large crowd. I have actually precooked them and taken them to a large party, sliced them and served them cold. They are just as good and very impressive. The slices are nice served on a salad as well. Makes a great luncheon item.
Share