Italian Stuffed Chicken Breasts

davianng's Note:

Another frequently-made recipe from my days of cooking for a caterer. A really elegant dish that can be easily doubled for a dinner party. Savory chicken breasts stuffed with spinach-ricotta-pesto-prosciutto, and topped with a light mushroom sauce.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 slices prosciutto, 1/8-inch thick, halved

Filling

• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 lb spinach, trimmed
• 3 shallots, minced
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup pesto sauce
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

For basting chicken

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 lb mushroom, sliced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast pine nuts 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Reserve.
2. Put washed spinach in skillet, cover. Steam about 2 minutes. Place in strainer, rinse with cold water and squeeze as much liquid out as possible. Chop medium fine.
3. Heat butter in skillet, saute shallots until soft.
4. Increase oven to 375 degrees.
5. Butter a shallow baking dish.
6. Mix pine nuts, spinach, shallots, ricotta cheese, egg yolk and pepper.
7. Pound chicken breasts slightly.
8. Place 1/.2 slice prosciutto on each breast, followed by 1/6 of filling. Fold in half. Place in buttered baking dish.
9. Mix melted butter and lemon juice. Spoon over chicken breasts. Bake, basting occassionally, for 30 minutes (or until tender). Remove to platter and keep warm.
10. Make sauce: Melt butter in skillet, saute mushrooms 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms.
11. Add stock to skillet, boil until rediced to 1/4 cup. Add wine, boil until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add cream, boil until reduced to 3/4 cup.
12. Return mushrooms to sauce.
13. Add whatever juices have accumulated in chicken dish to sauce. Bring to boil, stirring. Add basil.
14. Serve chicken breasts on platter. Pass sauce separately.

Reviews

[Kymmarie]

WOW!!! This isn't difficult to put together and it tastes so phenomenal that even if it was a pain to prepare - it would be worth it!! I will be making this again and again!! Thank you davianng for a wonderful dining experience! My PAC 2009 baby can really cook!!!