Piquant chicken-revised
8 Servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Whole chicken breasts; halved, skinned and boned | |
| 7 | ounces | Green chilies; diced or strips |
| ¼ | pounds | Monterey jack cheese**; grated or strips |
| ½ | cup | Fine bread crumbs |
| ¼ | cup | Parmesan cheese; grated |
| ½ | teaspoon | Chili powder; use more to taste |
| ½ | teaspoon | Garlic salt |
| ¼ | teaspoon | Cumin |
| ¼ | teaspoon | Pepper |
| 6 | tablespoons | Butter; melted |
| ¼ | cup | Butter; melted |
| ½ | teaspoon | Oregano |
| 1 | teaspoon | Parsley or cilantro; chopped |
| 15 | ounces | Tomato sauce |
| ½ | teaspoon | Cumin |
| ⅓ | cup | Green onions; sliced |
| ⅛ | teaspoon | Pepper |
| 1 | dash | Tabasco sauce |
Directions
HERB BUTTER
SALSA
** I usually use Jack cheese, but yellow if fine too.
Pound chicken breasts between wax paper until they are ¼-inch thick.
Brush tops with herb butter.
Mix chilies and grated Jack cheese. Divide and spread in the center of each chicken breast. (I don't mix these; I just lay strips of chilies and strips of cheese.) Roll up and tuck the ends under.
Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, chili powder, salt, pepper and cumin. Dip each stuffed breast in melted butter and roll in crumb mixture.
Place chicken, seam side down, in an oblong baking dish and drizzle with a little melted butter.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
May be served with Salsa* poured over it or on the side.
Salsa: Combine all ingredients and heat well.
Cooks Notes: I found this recipe book years ago at the library. I made this recipe and fell in love. I later bought both part I and part II of these cookbooks. These are the foods that they serve at their wonderful restaurant in Portland, Oregon. Over the years, I have adjusted the ingredients. I don't use the Salsa or any salsa on it. This chicken has a Mexican flavor. At times, I have changed the ingredients; added cilantro, done without the parsley, the Tabasco, oregano.
I don't bother using toothpicks or anything. I just tuck everything closed and then put them in the baking pan tucked side down. They ooooze cheese no matter what you do! Yum.
Italian Variation: When I had leftover spaghetti sauce and extra mushrooms ~ - I made it ITALIAN! I left out the cumin and chili powder (used Italian seasonings instead and changed the cheese to mozzarella, the green chili to mushrooms and put spaghetti sauce on top.) Freezer info: Also, we often partially cook these (about 30 minutes)and then freeze them and then thaw and bake for about 20 minutes. We take (frozen) camping. (Have not frozen the Italian variation that I invented.) Source: Albertina's Cookbook #I; a local restaurant and shops (staffed by volunteers), Portland, Oregon. All profits go to Albertina Kerr Centers For Handicapped Children.
MC formatted by Brenda Adams <adamsfmle@...> Recipe by: Albertina's I, A Collection of Recipes, 1989 Posted to recipelu-digest by Badams <adamsfmle@...> on Feb 22, 1998