Chicken Breast Stuffed With Ham And Spinach
By: Barnaby Dorfman
Published: Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 1:53am

Ingredients




2 (10-14 oz.) chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
6 ounces ham, boneless, fat removed
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or oil
1 tablespoon flour, all purpose
1/4 cup milk
4 ounces spinach, fresh, cleaned, blanched
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 ounces onions, finely diced
1/2 ounce celery, fine bias cut
1/2 ounce carrots, fine bias cut
1 bay leaf
1 cup White wine
4 ounces heavy cream
Salt
White pepper

Preparation

1 Prepare chicken breast as follows: Cut each breast in half, removing the joining cartilage. Remove the tenderloin from the breast and remove the tendon from the tenderloin. On a hard flat surface, preferably a cutting board, lay a piece of plastic wrap. Place the tenderloins on the wrap and fold wrap over to cover the tenderloins. 2 With a meat tenderizing mallet or a cleaver, gently flatten the tenderloins to 1/8-inch thickness. Repeat this procedure with all of the remaining chicken. Set aside for late use. (Refrigerate.) 3 Prepare stuffing as follows: Mince ham in food processor. Melt butter in small saucepan and add flour. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. DO NOT BROWN. Add milk, stirring constantly, and cook until thick paste forms. Add ham and remove from heat. Let cool. Reserve spinach for later use. 4 Stuff chicken breast as follows: Place 1 ounce of spinach on each of the chicken breasts, leaving 1 inch from all edges uncovered. Place 1 1/2 ounces of the ham mixture on top of each breast in the center and cover with each of the four tenderloins. Gently wrap ends of chicken breast towards center, folding them over the tenderloins. 5 Carefully pick them up, invert them, and place them on a plate and shape them like a large Easter egg. After stuffing the breasts, place them in the freezer and allow them to set for easier handling (30-40 minutes). 6 Prepare sauce as follows: Place oil in a small saucepan and add vegetables and bay leaf. Cook 3-5 minutes over medium high heat. Add wine and reduce down until oil has a clear appearance. Add flour and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, while stirring constantly. DO NOT BROWN. 7 Add hot chicken stock and stir. Bring to simmering point and add heavy cream. Adjust seasonings to your liking. Pass sauce through a strainer and keep warm until serving time. 8 Cook the chicken breasts as follows: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour 1/4 inch oil in bottom of a heavy skillet and put on medium heat. Remove chicken from freezer and dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg and place in skillet, with seam sides down. Brown lightly on all sides. 9 Place browned chicken breasts on baking sheet pan and bake in oven for about 20 minutes, until chicken is done and stuffing is hot through. Serve with sauce.