One week until Easter – if you don’t have your menu planned, let me offer an ideal suggestion. These chicken bundles are a family favorite at our house – we often have them for Easter Dinner. They are a fresh alternative to ham, plus they taste amazing and look wonderful. Chicken filled with asparagus, peppers, and carrots {in their own cute little package . . .} topped off with a Rosemary Cream Sauce – what’s not to love?
{P.S. If you have ever scrolled through our early posts on this blog, you may have seen this recipe before (April 17, 2011}; however, you did not find it in our Recipe Box. At the time we were using a different platform and we had not gone public with our blog. Unfortunately when we made the switch to WordPress a few of our recipes just won’t post in the recipe box- finally, (due to our limited technical skills) we’ve just decided to take an easier route and just repost them so they will be accessible. {Plus this one is worth repeating : ) } So if you’ve already found it – our apologies – if not, hope you enjoy it!
Chicken Bundles with Rosemary Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
4 chicken cutlets or thin sliced chicken breasts *(can use 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts prepared as below)
4-5 carrots (the real thing you have to peel)
1 large red bell peppers
1 bunch thin asparagus
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 clove garlic
¼ tsp dried rosemary, chopped
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
Cut carrots and red pepper into thin strips about the width of a ballpoint pen and about 3-4 inches long. Trim asparagus to the same length.
Steam or blanch the vegetables for 3 or 4 minutes (so they are still slightly crisp – the carrots will take a little longer than the peppers and asparagus). Immediately run cold water over them to halt cooking. Set aside.
*If you are using 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, you will need to slice each in half horizontally to make 4 cutlets. With a meat tenderizer, gently pound out each cutlet until it is thin and as even as possible. Cut each cutlet into 2 strips. Sprinkle each with salt and fresh ground pepper. Lay the vegetables across the chicken (5 or 6 carrots strips, 3 or 4 peppers and 1-2 asparagus) and roll up. Secure with a toothpick.
In a large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium heat, cook the bundles seam side down until brown, then turn until all sides are brown about 15-20 minutes. (Once the bundle seals you can remove the toothpicks) Remove chicken from pan.
In the hot pan, add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan (take a rubber spatula and remove all the bits and pieces stuck the bottom – lots of good flavor there). Add the garlic and then the cream. Add the rosemary (if using fresh just add a sprig and let it flavor the sauce as it cooks, then remove before serving). Let it boil for a minute or two while stirring, then turn it down and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
Serve the chicken bundles on a bed of rice pilaf and spoon sauce over the top.
Makes 8 chicken bundles. I usually double this recipe – they are great reheated (if you have any left over!)
Made these tonight minus the sauce. I marinated the chicken in a bit of Italian dressing too. They were so good! Definitely will be making these again. Thanks for sharing!