Shelly's Recipe

PESTO-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Category: Chicken

For filling:
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Sauteed mushrooms in butter deglaze with wine
2 bunches spinach (about 1 lb.)
2 tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp olive oil
3 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic, smashed around in oil
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 pesto sauce
3 egg yolks
1/4 tsp finely ground pepper
A little grated nutmeg
A little Parmesan cheese and Asiago cheese

5 slices proscuitto, sliced thin
5 whole large chicken breasts, skinned, boned, halved and flattened

For basting:
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp lemon juice

For sauce:
3 tbsp butter
1/2 lb mushrooms (domestic and shiitake), sliced
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup half & half
2 tbsp chopped basil (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Toast pine nuts. Clean spinach; boil, chop medium-fine. Heat butter in skillet. Add shallots and saute. Mix pine nuts, spinach, shallots and remaining filling ingredients. Butter baking dish. Spread filling over proscuitto, place in breasts. Fold breast half over. Toothpick together. Place in baking dish. Bake chicken for 30 minutes.

While baking chicken, make sauce: In medium skillet, heat butter. Add mushrooms, saute. Deglaze with a little Madeira wine. Remove mushrooms. Add chicken stock and boil to reduce to 1/4 cup. Add white wine and boil to reduce to 1/2 cup. Add whipping cream and boil to reduce a little. Add mushrooms. Correct seasoning.