Chicken Roulade with Black Olives and Feta Cheese

We recently started carrying some wonderful crustini spreads from Elki.  As usual, I try to incorporate the products we carry into new recipe ideas.  This is the recipe from the May 31 cooking demo.

Chicken Roulade with Black Olive and Feta filling

4 chicken breasts

1/3 cup Basil Pesto and Black Olive with Feta Crustini Spread

4oz feta cheese

4 Roma tomatoes

2 cups Baby spinach leaves

6 med Shitake Mushrooms sliced thin

2 spring onions

¾ cup julienne carrots

¾ cup chicken broth

1 small can sliced olives

Olive oil

Truffle salt

Slice the chicken breasts into cutlets and pound thin.  In a skillet add the spinach, carrots, onions and mushrooms and crustini spread .  Add 2T olive oil and sauté until partially cooked.  Add 3 oz. feta cheese to the mixture.   Lay a piece of chicken flat then scoop 1-2 T of vegetable and cheese mixture at one end and roll.  Secure with a toothpick.  Place the chicken back into the skillet along with the remaining vegetables.  Pour the chicken broth over the meat and add ¼ t truffle salt .  Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes.   Serve with the remaining feta cheese and sliced olives on top.

Tropical Chicken

I am always looking for new ideas for my Saturday cooking.  I have even gone so far that a jot them down when they come to me in my iPhone.  I have been successful in coming up with ideas at any place or time.  So much so, my friends think I am a texting bug.  Here is a recipe of a brainstorm idea that come from thinking about my Dad.  He loved fried banana sandwiches.  I then thought that I could blend that taste with some tropical notes.  Here is the recipe I came up with.

Chicken Breaded with Dried Banana Chips and bread crumbs in a Curried Mango and Coconut Sauce

Chicken Breasts Panko bread crumbs
Dried banana chips chopped small
Shredded coconut
 1/2 t Ground mustard seeds
4 large Fresh Shitake Mushrooms
Flour
1 Egg
1/2 c Coconut milk unsweetened
Curried Mango Sauce from Stonewall Kitchen
Onion
Olive oil
Fresh bananas
S &  1/2 t Pink peppercorns ground

 

Cut the chicken breasts into 4x4 inch pieces.  Put 1 cup dried banana chips in a blender and add 1 cup panko bread crumbs,  Mix until finely chopped.  Dip the chicken in flour, egg wash, panko and banana chips  to coat. Brown in olive oil. Then set aside.

Sauté’ onions, mushrooms, ground mustard seed and ground pink peppercorns. Add ½cup coconut milk and ½ c Curried mango sauce to the pan and stir until it starts to bubble.  Add the chicken and cook on a low flame until chicken is cooked through.  Slice length wise then fry the fresh bananas in oil until caramelized.  Serve a piece on each piece of chicken. Sprinkle with coconut and garnish with flowers. (optional)

Rolled Chicken Breast with Cheese and Spinach Filling

During the winter, traffic in the shop slows down significantly;y so we only cook once a month.  Saturday Feb 18 was the night.  I wanted to create something and as usual for me, I make a list of ingredients that I think will blend well for a great dish and mark down the amounts as I go.  There are 3 recipes from that session.  One was a chicken breast filled with ricotta and spinach, the second was a vegetarian crepe and the third a sweet mustard and wine sauce to pour over both.  Hope you enjoy.

Rolled Chicken Breast with Cheese and Spinach Filling

6 chicken breasts pounded flat

1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese (I like the whole milk but you can use part skim if you choose)

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 egg

2T chopped garlic or 5 cloves smashed

3T fresh parsley

1/2 cup frozen spinach drained and pressed to remove all water

5T Basil Pesto (we sell Elki brand and it gives a great punch to the dish.)

EVVO

Mix the ricotta with Parmesan, garlic, spinach and pesto until blended well.  Gently whip the egg and add to the mixture.  Lay the breast on a flat surface and spread the cheese mixture, starting at the pointed end, on 2/3 of the meat. Add a touch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle some chopped parsley over the cheese and roll tucking the sides in and secure with a toothpick.  Saute' in EVVO until outside is gently browned then place in a dish and bake for 20 minutes.  Insure internal temperature is 160 degrees.

You can serve the chicken with any side as is or make the creamy wine sauce in my next posting and pour it over the chicken.      Serves 6.  cooking and prep time approx 45 minutes.