Chicken with Prosciutto, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Basil

Welcome to my first recipe! This chicken dish has become a family favorite. The inspiration came from my family's love of prosciutto and my Nonna's "thriving" basil plants. My dad always looks for a good excuse to run to the Italian grocery store in town and get some fresh, imported meat. And Nonna always wants to share her fresh basil.

This recipe takes a good amount of prep but a very short cook time. It will make your kitchen smell amazing when cooking. You will not have to call anyone to the dinner table, they will come running!

I first tried this recipe out for Mother's Day. I decided to filet the chicken breasts and make small portion sizes. We always have a lot of food for a Sunday afternoon dinner, so small pieces of chicken left for extra room on our plates for pasta, bread, veggies, and salad. This chicken dish pairs well with a light pasta. Pasta tossed in olive oil, lemon zest, and asparagus is my recommendation.

Here is what you are going to need:

• Italian marinade

• Sun-dried tomatoes

• Mozzarella cheese

• Fresh basil

• Prosciutto

• Boneless, skin-less chicken breasts

• Olive oil

• Kitchen twine

I began this recipe by using four boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I filleted each breast and used a meat tenderizer to soften the chicken. If you do not have a meat tenderizer, using a rolling pin will work just fine. I always put a piece of plastic wrap between the meat and the tenderizer to prevent a mess.

Since I like to make small portions, I got 3 to 4 pieces out of each breast. I only cooked ten pieces for our dinner with five people. I froze the excess chicken.

If the breast tears when filleting or tenderizing, it is okay! That can be fixed later with twine and cooking.

After filleting, I brushed each piece on both sides with Italian marinade. I used Kroger's "Zesty Italian" salad dressing and marinade mix. I followed the instructions on the back by adding water, vinegar, and oil to make the marinade. This can be substituted with another marinade of choice or simply rubbing some olive oil, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. I was just using up what I had in the pantry. If time allows, you could marinate the chicken overnight for a more intense flavor.

Now for the fun part! Stuffing and rolling the chicken is so simple. I used kitchen twine to hold the pieces together. I soaked the twine in water to prevent it from burning when cooking.

First, I used some thinly sliced fresh mozzarella and placed it on the chicken. I used enough to cover one half of the chicken filet.

Next, I put a few pieces of fresh basil from Nonna's garden on top of the mozzarella. If you do not have fresh basil, a basil paste or pesto sauce will work just as well.

Then, I put two or three pieces of sun-dried tomato on top of the mozzarella. I purchased julienne-cut pieces from the store. These pieces were so easy to work with because they were cut to the perfect size and laid nicely on the chicken.

Finally, I topped the chicken with a very thin slice of prosciutto. We always splurge on the imported prosciutto from the local, Italian grocer. It is expensive, so use what you like!

I folded the chicken and tied it with some twine. Soaking the twine in water before use can prevent it from burning. I cut off long ends from the twine and tried to only use one piece per chicken. Remember to cut the twine before serving!

In a large skillet on medium-high heat, I warmed some olive oil. Once hot, I added the chicken so I could hear a nice sizzle in the pan. I prefer to use a grill pan for an even and professional looking cook. I allowed 3-4 minutes per side, or until they had a nice brown color to them. If you have leftover marinade, pour it on the chicken as you flip it over.

Once the chicken was seared in the pan, I transferred it to a baking sheet. I put parchment paper on the baking pan to prevent a mess as the cheese melted. With the oven on 400°F, I baked the chicken for 10 minutes until the chicken reached an internal temperature of 165°F.

I allowed the chicken to rest before cutting the twine and placing on a serving dish. If desired, drizzle a balsamic glaze on the chicken for added flavor.

MANGIA! MANGIA!

I hope you enjoy this meal!

-Mia

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Chicken with Prosciutto, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Basil

Prep time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total time: 1 hour

Servings: 10 small pieces (enough for 5 people)

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes

• 1 cup fresh basil

• 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese

• 1/4 pound prosciutto

• 1 (2.4 oz) package Italian marinade

• olive oil

• kitchen twine (wet to prevent burning)

1. Filet the chicken breasts and cut each into 3 or 4 pieces. Tenderize meat until even and brush with Italian marinade on both sides.

2. Place mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and prosciutto on chicken. Roll and secure with twine. Cut excess twine.

3. Sear chicken in pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Allow 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken browns. Pour excess marinade over chicken as it cooks.

4. Place chicken on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in oven heated to 400°F. Cook for 10 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

5. Remove from oven. Let rest for 3 minutes. Cut twine. Serve with balsamic glaze if desired.