Prosciutto and Gruyere-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

My coworker was mentioning to me at a lunch meeting that he had stuffed some chicken breasts with prosciutto and Gruyere cheese.  I think he may have mentioned a sauce, or finishing them on the grill, or something... but my brain never got past that initial sentence.  I HAD to try this.  My version is a flattened chicken breast, covered in Italian seasonings, rolled up around the prosciutto and Gruyere, baked under a blanket of prepared vodka sauce, then garnished with fresh basil ribbons.  It's sort of an Italian version of Chicken Cordon Bleu, if you think about it.  

Why should you try this?  Well good gracious.... aren't we always looking for new ways to cook chicken?!  Something a little bit exciting?  These may look a little bit fancy, but they were NOT complicated at all.  And also, you could totally roll these up ahead of time, then cook them when you get home from work.  I also have a sneaky suspicion that after browning them, you could throw them into a crock pot with the sauce to finish them.  - and we DO like options, right?!

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Ingredients:

• 1 package of skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• thinly sliced prosciutto
• 1 - 2 slices per chicken breast
• Gruyere cheese
• cut into wide sticks about 1/2 inch wide (like a large french fry)
• Seasonings of your choice -
• kosher salt, black pepper, dried basil and oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• Jarred Vodka sauce (or pasta sauce of your choice)
• Fresh basil for garnish

Step-by-Step:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice open the chicken breasts ALMOST to the other side.  Lie them flat and pound them out flat, as evenly as you can.  

 Tip - pounding out the chicken is a great job to let the kids help with!

Season the chicken with spices.  Go easy on the salt, as the prosciutto and the cheese are fairly salty.  Go heavier on the other seasonings.  

Kosher salt

black pepper

Italian seasoning

Roll the prosciutto around a piece of  Gruyere, then place it along one end of the breast. 

Gruyere cheese

Thinly sliced prosciutto

 

Roll the breast around the prosciutto/Gruyere, and secure with toothpicks. You may choose to also season the outside of the meat.

Add a couple of tablespoons of EVOO to a heavy skillet.  Once the oil is really hot, carefully add the chicken breasts.  It should immediately start sizzling if the oil is hot enough.  Once you place the chicken, do NOT attempt move them.  They will release once they get a beautiful, golden brown sear on them. 

1 - 2 Tbsp EVOO

 

Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder

Using long handled kitchen tongs, turn the chicken to sear on all sides.  Remove from heat.
NOTE - the chicken is NOT cooked yet!!

Add some prepared sauce over the top of the chicken.  I added about 1/2 jar of Mario Batali's Vodka Sauce over mine.  

Insert a digital thermometer into the middle of the thickest breast you have, then pop them into the oven until they reach 160 degrees. 

That took about 20 minutes for my chicken - but I love using the digital thermometer that beeps when it reaches the correct temperature, because that allows me to turn my focus onto other things.  Then my chicken is cooked properly, without over baking and drying it out.  Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest.  I would say at least 5 minutes.  **Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees, but cooking them to 160 degrees and then allowing them to rest for 5 minutes allows the temperature to come up to 165 without overcooking the meat, due to the effects of carryover cooking.  This is why I place the thermometer in the largest breast.**

 

Slice into thick pinwheels and garnish with freshly chopped basil ribbons.

Serve with a little extra sauce that we baked it in from the pan.

The meat is juicy and tender.  You get the pop of unexpected flavor and texture in the middle, and all that yummy sauce!  Serve with veggies on the side, or over pasta.  YOU choose!  Have fun!!

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You can hop over to my Recipe Index for more great recipes... and here are a few more recipes for you to consider:
Baked Brie Dip with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Thyme

Beefy Mexican Cornbread 

Loaded Potato Balls 

Pasta alla Tuscana 

Coconut Lime Chicken 

Home Made Snickers Bars  

Method: 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice open the chicken breasts ALMOST to the other side.  Lie them flat and pound them out flat, as evenly as you can.  Season the chicken with spices.  Go easy on the salt, as the prosciutto and the cheese are fairly salty.  Go heavier on the other seasonings.  Roll the prosciutto around a piece of  Gruyere, then place it along one end of the breast.  Roll the breast around the prosciutto/Gruyere, and secure with toothpicks. You may choose to also season the outside of the meat.

Add a couple of tablespoons of EVOO to a heavy skillet.  Once the oil is really hot, carefully add the chicken breasts.  It should immediately start sizzling if the oil is hot enough.  Once you place the chicken, do NOT attempt move them.  They will release once they get a beautiful, golden brown sear on them.  Using long handled kitchen tongs, turn the chicken to sear on all sides.  Remove from heat.  NOTE - the chicken is NOT cooked yet!!  

Add some prepared sauce over the top of the chicken.  I added about 1/2 jar of Mario Batali's Vodka Sauce over mine.  Insert a digital thermometer into the middle of the thickest breast you have, then pop them into the oven until they reach 160 degrees.  That took about 20 minutes for my chicken - but I love using the digital thermometer that beeps when it reaches the correct temperature, because that allows me to turn my focus onto other things.  Then my chicken is cooked properly, without over baking and drying it out.  

Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest.  I would say at least 5 minutes.   Slice into thick pinwheels and garnish with freshly chopped basil ribbons.  Serve with a little extra sauce that we baked it in from the pan.