Easypeasy: Prosciutto-wrapped Chicken Breasts
July 6, 2014
I don't really know how to cook. M has always been the "house chef" and he is quite good at it. He usually cooks Filipino dishes like adobo, sinigang, and lechon kawali, and I have to say that the sinigang is still my favorite.
Ever since I was a child, I've never really felt the need to learn how to cook. Many people say that "the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach" but I never really believed that because I grew up in a household where it was my Papa who cooked, and not just ordinary dishes mind you, but the likes of crispy pata, kare-kare, marlin steak, fish tinola, and yes sinigang too. Mommy never had to lift a finger in the kitchen because everything was already taken care of. (I guess my mom had figured out a better way to my dad's heart, hehe.) And so I figured, I will just marry someone who will cook for me just like my Papa did. And that I did!
It was only very recently that I tried my hand in the kitchen. Aside from the fact that I'm not doing much these days and that a packed lunch for the husband will mean a healthier and cheaper meal, I was sufficiently bored that I started tinkering with meal recipes and putting together easy-to-cook meals. Of course I shy away from the more complicated stuff and stick to the easier ones like this recipe I'm sharing. So far, this has been the best meal I have ever cobbled together and both M and MC enjoy eating it quite immensely. The chicken breasts are flavorful AND juicy - something chicken breasts usually aren't. The first time I cooked this, M even said, "I'm quite surprised that your cooking actually tastes really good." I took that as a compliment. Haha!
As you can see, we've cut back on rice - an attempt at losing belly fat (which doesn't seem to work) so we have since replaced it with generous helpings of broccoli. It's filling and filled with nutrients, and very easy to prepare. Quick trivia: did you know that one serving (100g) of broccoli provides more than 100% of your daily required Vitamin C intake? Yep, it has more Vitamin C than citrus fruits. So as much as possible, I serve broccoli in every meal we eat.
Without further ado, here's the recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Prosciutto-wrapped Chicken Breasts with Broccoli
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Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 4 thin prosciutto slices
- 2 tbsp pesto sauce
- cheese to fill the chicken breasts - I used a combination of mozzarella and cave-aged gruyere but other types of cheeses will do
- a handful or more of broccoli, depending on how much you want to consume, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying the chicken
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for sauteeing the broccoli
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts on work surface. Using sharp knife and starting at thickest side of 1 chicken breast, butterfly the chicken, being careful not to cut through completely to other side of breast.
- Place 2 prosciutto slices side by side on work surface, slightly overlapping on long sides. Place 1 chicken breast crosswise atop center of prosciutto slices.
- Spread one tablespoon of pesto sauce on the butterflied side of the chicken breasts then place the cheese slices on top. Wrap prosciutto slices around chicken, rolling the chicken to secure cheese and pesto filling, covering completely and pressing to adhere (if necessary, fasten with toothpicks). Repeat with remaining chicken, pesto, cheese, and prosciutto. DO AHEAD. Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
- Once ready to cook, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer chicken to large baking sheet; roast in oven until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160°F, or 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size of chicken breasts. Transfer chicken to cutting board; let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice chicken breasts crosswise and fan the chicken slices on a serving plate.
- While chicken is roasting in the oven, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the broccoli until bright green in color. Sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning, or season with a squeeze of lemon and a little bit of pepper. Add cayenne pepper powder if you want a little spicy kick.
Oh and this is the serving size I usually consume during dinner - just a few slices of the chicken and more broccoli. :)
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