Description
Stuffed chicken breasts with prosciutto, basil, and cheese and coated in crispy panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 slices Prosciutto
- 8 large fresh basil leaves, left whole
- 4 slices mozzarella, Italian fontina, or Swiss cheese
- Flour for dredging (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Butterfly chicken breasts. Working with 1 breast at a time, butterfly breast half by laying it flat on a cutting board. Holding a sharp knife parallel to the work surface and beginning on a long side, cut breast almost in half horizontally but without cutting all the way through, then open it like a book. Repeat for all the chicken breasts.
- Stuff chicken breasts. For each breast, spread 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Then lay one slice of prosciutto on one half of the butterflied chicken, tearing prosciutto as necessary to fit. Top with 2 basil leaves and then one slice of cheese, tearing cheese as necessary to fit.
- Fold chicken breasts. Fold each chicken breast closed, tucking in filling as necessary, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Prep coating. Put the flour in a pie dish or shallow bowl. Put the eggs in another dish and lightly beat. Combine the panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a third dish.
- Coat chicken breasts. Dredge 1 stuffed chicken breast in the flour, coating evenly and lightly shaking off the excess. Then dip chicken breast in egg and then dredge it in the bread crumb mixture, coating it evenly and using your fingers to help crumbs adhere. Place on a plate and repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
- Prep oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Brown chicken. In a nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the stuffed and coated breasts and cook until lightly browned on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully turn the breasts and brown on the second side, 3 to 4 minutes more, adding more oil as necessary. This may need to be done in batches. Transfer browned chicken to a baking sheet.
- Bake chicken. Bake in oven until the chicken is cooked through, 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately while the coating is crispy and the cheese is gooey.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from Gourmet, June 1997.
