Introduction: CHICKEN CORDON BLEU ITALIANO (A Gluten Free Recipe)

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About: I am a 82-year-old self-proclaimed Chef who has spent most of his life in the hotel/resort tourism industry. I have traveled up and down the east coast of the United States from New York to Key West, and from …

Oven-baked Breast of chicken stuffed with imported Prosciutto and Sharp Provolone Cheese; then topped with melted butter and slices of fresh Mozzarella.

Step 1: INGREDIENTS (for 2 Servings):

  1. 10 TO 14 ounce plump raw chicken breast (this one weighed 12 ounces)
  2. 1 slice imported *Proscuitto
  3. 1 ounce imported Sharp Provolone Cheese (Belgioioso is my favorite brand)
  4. 1/4 cup all purpose flour (I used gluten-free multi-purpose flour)
  5. 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I used Glutino gluten-free breadcrumbs)
  6. 1 large egg
  7. 1 TBS unsalted butter
  8. 3 small slices fresh Mozzarella Cheese (about 2 ounces)

  • *NOTE: For those of you that are not familiar with "Prosciutto:" It is a delicate, sweet flavored uncured ham from Italy. It can be eaten raw and is generally sold and served in very thin slices. I have always been able to find prosciutto and Belgioioso cheese in the local supermarkets; especially in Publix.

Step 2: PREPARE & STUFF THE CHICKEN BREAST:

  1. Remove any excess fat from the breast of chicken; rinse it and pat dry.
  2. Wrap the chicken in wax paper and pound it out a little until is fairly uniform in thickness (You can use your knuckles to do this, too).
  3. Insert a very sharp pointed knife into the center of the round side and carefully cut a deep pocket in the breast. Work the knife around to the left, then turn it and work it around to the right. Cut as deep and as far back as you can without cutting through the top, bottom, or sides (cutting through will cause your stuffing to leak out).
  4. Sprinkle the Old Bay seasoning over all sides of the breast; cover it with wax paper or plastic wrap and press down on it with your hands to enhance the effect of the seasoning.

  • (I do this before I stuff the breast in order to lesson the handling that will occur when I stuff it. At this point you can refrigerate the breast and take a break, or leave it in the refrigerator until you are ready to stuff and bake it - you can easily do this 1 day ahead of time if you wish. I do not advise refrigerating a raw stuffed portion of meat or fowl for any length of time. If you stuff the breast of chicken you should do so with the intent of cooking it rather quickly to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria).

Next, prepare the stuffing & stuff the chicken breast (this will only take a couple of minutes; if the chicken has been refrigerated, remove it about 20 minutes ahead of time to allow it to warm up a little before stuffing and baking).

  1. Cut or dice the Prosciutto and Provolone into very small pieces.
  2. Using your finger(s), open the pocket that you have created as wide as possible and begin "pushing" alternate pieces of meat and cheese into the pocket. Push it as far back and as wide around as you can (again, being careful not to break through to the outside).
  3. When you have filled the pocket to capacity, press down on the stuffed breast with your hands to help spread the stuffing around, or equalize it, as much as possible, then seal the opening with toothpicks or a bamboo skewer.

Step 3: BAKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Spray a baking dish with no-stick cooking spray and set it aside.

Melt 1 TBS unsalted butter in the microwave and set it aside.

  1. Place flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in separate dishes (paper plates work fine for the dry ingredients).
  2. Beat egg with a fork until well blended.
  3. Place chicken breast in flour and roll and turn it until it is well covered in flour.
  4. Shake off excess flour; place chicken breast in egg and turn it over & over until it is well coated in egg mixture.
  5. Place egg coated chicken breast in the plate of breadcrumbs and rotate and turn until completely covered in crumbs.
  6. Place the now completely coated chicken breast in the baking dish, drizzle the melted butter over the top of it and bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.
  7. After the breast has baked for 25 minutes, cover it with the slices of Mozzarella Cheese and continue to bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is bubbly and beginning to brown. (The internal temperature of a baked stuffed chicken breast should be about 165 degrees F).

  • (Unfortunately, I forgot to place the cheese on top of the chicken breast after 25 minutes, and when I remembered to do so, the cheese did not have enough time to "bubble & brown" before the chicken was fully cooked, so I had to remove it from the baking dish; place it on an aluminium covered baking sheet, and place it under the broiler for the short time it took for the cheese to begin to brown the way I like it)!

Step 4: TIME TO EAT . . .

Although I missed a step and had to finish off this oven-baked stuffed breast of chicken under the broiler, it turned out great! I enjoyed my supper with a side of yesterday's Sauteed *Shishito Peppers & tomatoes and a glass of one of my favorite white wines - Barefoot's California Riesling.

Mangiare e gustare!

(see "Sauteed Shishito Peppers & Miniature Tomatoes" for this recipe).

Step 5: NUTRITION:

I have calculated the nutritional value of the ingredients in this recipe to the best of my ability using the MyFitnessPal Recipe Analyzer. Just click on the image to enlarge it. (Wine & side dish not included)

(Analysis does not include the side of sauteed peppers & tomatoes; if you use my recipe for this dish it will add about another 221 calories per serving to the meal).

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