Thursday, October 22, 2009

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

I was pleasantly surprised by this dish. Honest truth, I was thinking that we had way too much cheese on the menu, and that this cheesy entree would be overkill. It wasn't - in fact, it was a very satisfying meal in one since it had protein, dairy, and vegetables in it! (Okay, it's probably not THAT healthy.) It tasted great! The broccoli cut through the heaviness of the cheese, and the panko crusting on the chicken kept it light as well. Also, I love that it presents well; I'll be adding this to my "fit for guests" recipe stash. :) Enjoy! The recipe below is for 8-9 people, so you should halve it if you're feeding less.

Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
2 eggs
4 cups of broccoli florets
6 ounces of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs or Panko crumbs
7 slices of cheddar cheese (can substitute with Swiss or other preferred cheese)
½ cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Toothpicks (to hold the rolled up breast together)
Baking tray with aluminum foil

Method:
1. Steam broccoli for about 5 minutes, remove, and rinse with cold water (to retain green color). Chop the broccoli into small pieces.

2. Beat eggs in a bowl. Fill a second bowl with the breadcrumbs.

3. Preheat oven to 350°. Butterfly the chicken to get thin cutlets: press down firmly on the breast with one hand, and use the knife to slice parallel to the cutting board all the way through.

4. For each cutlet, lay it out flat and put half a slice of cheddar in the middle. Add chopped broccoli bits on top. Sprinkle some Monterey Jack cheese on top. Tightly roll the the breast together with the broccoli and cheese inside. Use toothpicks to secure the rolled breast. Dip the rolled breast into the egg. Then dip it into the breadcrumbs, rolling it around for an even coating. Once finished, place the rolled breast onto the baking tray.

5. Once all cutlets have been prepared and placed onto the baking tray, bake the chicken for about 30-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve warm.

1 comment: