Recipe Wednesday | Chicken Breasts filled with Spinach & Wild Mushrooms

By Trish Wesevich

 

Wild Mushrooms make anything taste good.  When allowed to brown just a bit they exude such an earthy odor and taste.  They are also full of nutritional vitamins and truly a gift from Mother Nature.

 

2 tbls (1/4 stick) butter

2 bunches spinach, about 2 lbs, stemmed

2 tbls. olive oil

8 oz. fresh wild mushrooms such as chanterelles, shiitake or morels

 

8 5-oz boneless chicken breast halves, skinned

2 qts. Water

1 cup chicken broth

 

3 ¼ cups high quality chicken stock (frozen or home made)

1 ½ tbls. Port

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into small pieces

½ cup hazelnut oil

Melt 2 tbls. butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat.  Add spinach and sauté until wilted but still bright green, about 2 minutes.  Drain and cool slightly.  Using hands, squeeze out all excess moisture from spinach.

 

Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over med-high heat.  Add mushrooms, without stirring for 2 minutes.  Stir until they begin to exude liquid, about another minutes and season with salt and pepper.

 

Place chicken between sheets of waxed paper.  Pound to ¼-inch thickness using meat pounder or rolling pin.  Pat chicken dry.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set each on a 10-inch square of plastic wrap.  Cover each with 1/8 of mushrooms, then spinach.  Roll chicken up into cylinders.  Twist and tie ends of the plastic to seal completely.

 

Bring two quarts of water and 1 cup chicken broth to boil.  Reduce heat to simmer.  Add chicken and poach 12 minutes.  Remove from heat and keep warm.

 

Heat stock and Port in heavy medium saucepan.  Whisk in ¼ cup butter 1 piece at a time.  Stir in hazelnut oil.  Season sauce with salt & pepper.

 

Remove rolled chicken breasts from plastic wrap.  Slice diagonally.  Arrange on plates.  Drizzle with sauce.

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Recipe by Chef Trish Wesevich