Its always a challenge to make chicken come out juicy and flavorful. This method actually came out really yummie and I'd like to share it with you. You can add cheese to the kale stuffing as you like, it will work great with feta and chevre.
Ingredients:
• 1/2 red union, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 large handfuls of kale, washed and chopped
• 4 sun dried tomatoes, soaked and chopped
• handful of raw or roasted pine nuts
• 1 large chicken breast, cut in half lengthwise to create two large flat pieces
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 T. olive oil
• pepper & salt
• some ghee for stir frying
• lemon or orange peel to taste
Preheat the oven to 400F.
1. Melt some ghee in a medium sauce pan, stir fry the chopped unions until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté a minute or two more. Remove from heat.
2. Over some boiling water, steam the kale for about 5 minutes, drain and squeeze out most of the water. Transfer to a blender with an S blade.
3. Blend together with the union and garlic mixture, add the chopped sun dried tomatoes, until you have a nice stuffing for the chicken. Add the pine nuts last, you don't have to blend these.
4. On a clean surface, lay one halved chicken breast in between two layers of cling wrap. Pound with the flat side of a meat mallet (or hammer?) until it becomes about 150% of the size, lets say 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Do this with both chicken filés.
5. Take a good portion of the kale mixture and kneed it into somewhat of a ball. Put it on the wide side of the chicken and wrap the rest of the chicken around it as a blanket.
6. Transfer to a glass pyrex bowl. Brush with a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper.
7. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, brushing halfway done another time with oil mixture.
Additional note:
I got a great tip from a Chef friend. He advised me to pan-sear the chicken rolls, just for about 2-3 min each side. This will sear in the moisture which will leave you with a much juicier roll in the end. I'd say give it a try!
Serves two for dinner. Great with some steamed veggies and some lemon or orange peel for extra added flavor.
