Prosciutto, Garlic, and Herb Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Tarragon Pan Sauce

WOW what a mouthful right? Well that is EXACTLY what you will think when you eat this chicken.....WOW. To use Rachael's words YUMMMO!!! From the small list of ingredients, to the simplicity of the recipe, to the combination of the flavors, this recipe has it all. All of the things that make a recipe awesome. The hardest thing about this recipe is pounding the chicken out and thats what I have my handy dandy sous chef/boyfriend Kevin for. I am a lucky girl!

This is one of those recipes that just made me hungry reading the ingredients. You know how some recipes just click in your head, while others you may see a few things on the list that are kind of "iffy" to you but the recipe as a whole sounds good? This is definitely the former! It was great from reading, to making, to eating. 

Jessi said she wasn't fond of it the "her palate must be to immature to appreciate it" but in between a lot of "mmmm-ing" with a few pauses to say OMG this is good, Kevin's and my palates were having a good time. What is funny, well kind of, is that I was so excited about making this recipe that I forgot to plan a side dish. So as the chicken is merrily sizzling away in the pan I all of a sudden realized YIKES I need something to go on the plate with this awesome chicken. I ransacked my pantry but my mind was blank so I hesitantly grabbed a bagged pasta side dish that I had in the pantry as an easy make for my Dad or Jessi on a night that Kevin and I aren't home to cook. Kevin threw it together and plopped it on the plate with the chicken. Kevin took one bite of it after he had been eating the chicken and said, "That stuff doesn't even belong on the same plate as this chicken"! Jessi's under developed palate thought it was awesome. I can't believe that is how I used to cook, if you can call it that, let alone eat for a lot of years.

I stuck pretty close to the recipe on this one. I used two slices of prosciutto per breast and a well rounded tablespoon of cheese. I also used two well rounded tablespoons of chopped tarragon leaves. Kevin pounded the chicken out to somewhere between 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch thickness and I cooked it for about 5 minutes per the four sides. It came out perfect. The cheese was nice and warm and creamy and the chicken was a little crispy on the outside. I fell in love with tarragon too!

And the final product.....

Prosciutto, Garlic, and Herb Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Tarragon Pan Sauce.

Ingredients

4 6 ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts halves

4 slices prosciutto di parma

4 ounces (1/2 cup) garlic and herb cheese, such as Boursin

3 tablespoons EVOO

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

Directions

Place a chicken breast in the center of a plastic food storage bag or 2 large sheets of wax paper. Pound out chicken from the center of the bag outward using a heavy bottomed skillet or mallet. Be firm but controlled with your strokes. Repeat with the 3 remaining breasts.

Place one slice of prosciutto on top of each pounded chicken breast. Place a quarter of the garlic and herb cheese on top of each prosciutto slice. Wrap and roll the chicken over the stuffing. Secure the meat with toothpicks. Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Season the stuffed rolled chicken with salt and pepper. Add the breasts to the pan and brown on all sides cooking for 10 to 20 minutes. The meat will cook quicker because it is thin. Remove the breasts; add the butter to the pan, then the flour. Cook for a minute, whisk in the white wine and reduce for another minute. Whisk in the stock and tarragon and return the chicken to the pan. Reduce the heat and simmer until ready to serve. Remove the toothpicks and serve whole or sliced.

4 servings

Chicken Breast


Prosciutto