Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast Stuffed with Cheese and Prosciutto
This dish blends a United Nations of flavors, from Chinese to Mexican, with Italian thrown in for the stuffing. The resulting delicious flavor proves that the world is truly one kitchen. Note that there are actually several recipes here, including one for refried black beans that could also be served by themselves.
Ingredients
- Whole Chicken Breasts - 4
- Roasted Chili-Black Bean Sauce - (recipe follows)
- Marinade
- Pineapple Juice - 1 cup
- Fresh Orange Juice - 1 cup
- Fresh lime juice - 1/2 cup
- Soy Sauce - 3 tablespoons
- Chinese five-spice powder - 2 tablespoons
- Dry Red Wine - 1/4 cup
- Jalapeno Chilies - 2, seeded and minced
- Fresh Cilantro - 1 tablespoon, chopped
- Freshly cracked black peppercorns - 3 tablespoons
- Dried Basil - 1 tablespoon
- Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
- Stuffing
- Fontina Cheese - 1/2 cup, grated
- Bel Paese Cheese - 1/2 cup, grated
- Parmesan Cheese - 1/4 cup, grated
- Orange mint or other mint - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Sesame seeds - 2 teaspoons, toasted
- Prosciutto - 2 large slices, cut into slivers
- Basting Sauce
- Chicken Stock - 1/2 cup
- Fresh Orange Juice - 1/2 cup
- Juice of 1 lime
- Freshly cracked black peppercorns - 1 tablespoon
- Garlic Cloves - 2, peeled and crushed
- Unsalted Butter - 1/2 cup (1 stick), melted
- Garnish
- Paprika
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh Chives - chopped
- Sliced carrot and tomato
- Lime wedges
- Roasted Chili-Black Bean Sauce
- Dried Ancho Chilies - 3
- Dries Cascabel chili or other hot dried red chili - 1
- Pumpkin Seeds - 1/4 cup
- Tomatillos - 3 medium
- Refried Black Beans (see below) - 1 cup
- Chicken Stock - 3/4 cup
- Grated fresh ginger - 1 tablespoon
- Hoisin sauce - 1 tablespoon
- Oyster Sauce - 1 tablespoon
- Brown Sugar - 1 teaspoon
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Poblano Chili - 1, seeded, deribbed, and julienned
- Marsala Wine - 1/4 cup
- Light beer (lager) - 1 cup
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1/4 cup
- Fresh basil - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Cayenne - 1/2 teaspoon
- Fresh lime juice - 1 tablespoon
- Salt to taste
- Refried Black Beans (Serves 8)
- Dried Black Beans - 1 pound
- White Onion - 1/4 large, chopped
- Garlic Cloves - 2
- Chicken Stock - 2 cups
- Bacon - 112 pound, chopped
- Jalapeno Chilies - 3, seeded, deribbed, and minced
- Green Onions - 3, white and green parts, chopped
- Vegetable Oil - 3 tablespoons
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
- White cheese such as Monterey jack or feta - 3/4 pound, grated
Instructions
Skin and bone the chicken breasts, keeping the breasts whole. Place the whole breasts between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness. Mix all the marinade ingredients together and marinate the chicken breasts in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and let warm at room temperature for 20 minutes. Prepare the sauce and set aside. Mix the stuffing ingredients together and set aside.
Light a charcoal or gas grill. Combine the ingredients for the basting sauce. Place one-fourth of the stuffing mixture in on one half of each chicken breast. Gently cover with the other half, securing the breasts closed with toothpicks.
Dip the chicken gently in the basting sauce, then grill 5 minutes, brushing with the basting sauce. Turn and grill 5 to 10 minutes, or until the skin is browned and the meat is cooked all the way through.
To serve: Pool sauce on each plate and place a chicken breast on top. Sprinkle with paprika, Parmesan cheese, and chopped chives. Garnish the plate with decoratively-cut tomato and carrot pieces and lime wedges.
Roasted Chili-Black Bean Sauce
Roast the dried chilies over a medium-hot charcoal grill. Saute the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet until browned. Grind the chilies and pumpkin seeds in a cleaned coffee grinder or in a mortar until fine. Press through a sieve and set aside. Roast the tomatillos over the charcoal until they are slightly burnt.
In a blender or food processor, puree the refried beans and chicken stock with the ginger, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and brown sugar. Heat the butter in a saute pan or skillet and saute the poblano over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the Marsala and beer and stir up the browned bits; cook for 3 minutes to evaporate the alcohol. Add the tomatillos and mash them in the liquid. Add the black bean mixture and simmer for 3 minutes. Fold in the roasted pepper powder and remaining ingredients and simmer 3 more minutes. The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use. Serve warm.
Refried Black Beans
Wash the black beans in a colander, picking over well to remove any broken beans or pebbles. Place in a stockpot with water to cover by at least 3 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer the beans, partially covered, for 1 hour. Skim the foam as it rises to the surface.
Add half the onion, the 2 garlic cloves, and the chicken stock and simmer 30 minutes, or until the beans are very tender.
In a saute pan or skillet, saute the bacon until it is almost burnt. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and pour off the bacon fat, reserving 4 tablespoons. Saute the remaining onion with the jalapenos and green onions in the reserved bacon fat over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
Drain the cooked beans, reserving the broth. Place the beans, bacon, and jalapeno mixture in a blender or food processor with 3 cups of the reserved bean broth. Pulse until the mixture is almost smooth; leave a little texture. Pulse in batches if necessary.
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy skillet and add the beans. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the beans are thick and some of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The beans may be cooked and pureed up to 6 hours in advance and kept refrigerated; saute just before serving. Use as an ingredient (above) or serve sprinkled with cheese.
