Thursday, April 25, 2013

Chicken Breast stuffed with Pesto butter

We are not big oven baked chicken people, so I was a little skeptical of this recipe.  It seems every time I bake chicken, it always comes out tough.  This however was not not the case.  The chicken had good flavor, was tender and the crust...well mine wasn't perfect.  Oh well, its going to get all mashed up together, right?  Now, I had some leftover pesto butter, so I tossed it in some pasta that I had in the pantry.  Note- Store bought pesto can be substitute.
Servings: 6


Ingredients:






6 chicken breasts, halved, boneless and skinless
1/2 c fresh basil leaves
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 c butter, room temperature
1/3 c flour seasoned with salt and pepper
1 egg, well beaten
3/4 c fine bread crumbs
Serving Day
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
 
Directions:   Flatten chicken breasts to 1/8" thickness.  In a food processor or blender, combine basil, cheese and garlic.Mix until a thick paste is formed. Add 1/2 cup of butter and blend. On a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, shape into a 3" square.  Chill until firm. (To quick chill, place in freezer for 10-20 minutes).  Slice chilled square into sticks, approximately 1/2-inch wide and three inches long.  Lay out the flattened chicken breasts.  Place a stick of pesto butter on the larger side of the meat.  Fold the remaining side over the butter, then fold under the two ends.  Press meat together on all sides to securely enclose butter.
12. Using 3 separate plates, place the seasoned flour in one, beaten egg in another and bread crumbs in the third.  Dredge rolled chicken breast in flour and shake off excess.  Dip into egg, then roll in bread crumbs.  Firmly pat bread crumbs onto chicken.  Refrigerate chicken rolls for at least 1 hour to allow breadcrumbs to adhere.  At this point chicken rolls may be frozen.  Wrap each chicken roll in plastic wrap, and place in freezer bags.  
 
Serving day instructions: Unwrap chicken rolls and put on plate in refrigerator and thaw completely. In large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil on medium-medium high.  Saute chicken for about 10-15 minutes, turning chicken until golden brown on all sides.  Place in a lightly greased baking dish and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until meat is white all the way through. (Be careful not to overbake).






























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