Butterfly Chicken
By: Anonymous
Published: Thursday, February 11, 2010 - 7:57am

Ingredients




Butterfly technique dresses up chicken

Preparation

1 Boneless chicken breast is one of the most versatile low-calorie foods around. Sure, they're easy to grill or saute for a quick everyday entree. But for an elegant dinner to celebrate the season's year end, now is high time to dress them up. 2 Give them a fresh look by tucking a savory filling inside the breasts and rolling them into bundles. You can do this a day ahead. When it's party time, pop them in the oven and you're home free. 3 Well, not quite. 4 Because the filling is concealed, you need to slice the breasts before serving. Whether you serve them on individual plates or on a platter for buffet service, arrange each breast in its original shape, overlapping the slices slightly to show off the filling. 5 To prepare the chicken for stuffing, start with boneless, skinless breast halves, 5 to 6 ounces each. Pull off the small muscle (fillet) from the underside and save for other uses. 6 To butterfly a half breast, hold it firmly on a cutting board with the palm of your free hand on top. Angle a chef's knife almost parallel to the board, then move the blade back and forth in a slicing motion. Cut the breast almost all the way through, then open it up like a book. Place the breast halves between wax paper and pound gently to an even thickness, about 3/8 inch, with the smooth side of a mallet. 7 In my two recipes (which see), the one with Mediterranean flavors would be good to serve with polenta. Rice is a natural accompaniment to the sweet-and-sour chicken breasts.

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