Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Madeira Sauce
Serves: 4
Santos Walker
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
41
Spice
56
Sweetness
56
Sourness
42
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.6
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1.5 tbsps
Crushed Ice3 tbsps
Heavy Cream (well chilled)3 tsp
Salt1 tsp
Fennel Seed (crushed)1 tsp
Nutmeg (freshly grated)1 tsp
Pepper (freshly ground)1 tbsp
Vegetable Oil1 cup
Madeira3 cup
Chicken Broth (canned)Directions:
1
For the Stuffed Chicken: Arrange the chicken breasts skin side down on a cutting board, making sure the skin is evenly stretched over the breasts
2
Remove the fillet strip from each breast, discard the white tendon, and in a food processor grind the fillets
3
Add the ice, blend the mixture until the ice is absorbed, and with the motor running add the cream
4
Add the spinach, the salt, the fennel seeds, the rind, the nutmeg, and the pepper and blend the filling well, scraping down the sides
5
Turn the breasts skin side up and beginning at the pointed end pull the skin back carefully, leaving the thin transparent membranes attached along at the opposite end
6
Spread 3 tablespoons of the spinach filling evenly over each breast, smoothing it, and stretch the skin over the filling to cover it
7
(Reserve the remaining spinach filling for another use such as miniature quenelles made by poaching small balls of it in clear soup
8
) Chill the chicken, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for one hour
9
The chicken may be prepared up to this point 24 hours in advance and kept covered and chilled
10
In a large oven proof skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking, add the chicken, skin side down, and season it with salt and pepper
11
Saute the chicken for 1 - 2 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown, turn it skin side up, and bake it, covered, in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes
12
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it stand, covered loosely with foil, for 5 minutes
13
Make the sauce while the chicken is standing: pour off the fat from the skillet, add the Madeira, and boil it, scraping up the brown bits, until it is reduced to about 2 tablespoons
14
Add the broth and boil the mixture, stirring for 1 minute
15
Stir the arrowroot mixture, add it to the skillet, whisking, and simmer the sauce, whisking for 1 minute
16
Holding a knife at a 45 degree angle slice the chicken crosswise and arrange the slices, overlapping them slightly, on 4 heated plates
17
Spoon some of the sauce around the chicken and serve the remaining sauce around separately