Prosciutto and Provolone Chicken Roll-Ups with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Chicken...check. Cheese...check. Sliced deli meat...check. There are so many varieties of chicken roll-ups that you can make with these ingredient combinations, the most famous being chicken cordon bleu. I do love this dish. In fact I have my own version of Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu that I make quite often. But since you have the freedom to, why not get a little creative with varying flavor combos? You could do a roast beef, cheddar and mushroom chicken roll-up with au jus. Or how about a turkey, cranberry and brie chicken roll-up with gravy? So many possibilities, it makes me want to get cooking this instant!

It just so happened that I had deli ham and provolone in my fridge. Scanning around for more ingredients to build upon, I realized I still had half a jar of spaghetti sauce left. Knowing that I also had some fresh basil and sundried tomatoes, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. (Although I only had ham, prosciutto would probably be the premium choice for the flavor profile I was going for. But stick with ham if that's all you've got.)

So a few chicken beatings, poundings and rollings later...I was ready to bake up my Prosciutto and Provolone Chicken Roll-Ups and get my Creamy Tomato Sauce cooking. Served over quinoa, this turns out to be a surprisingly light but filling main course.

 

 

Seeing the insides of the chicken when they are done baking is like opening a present on Christmas morning. Even though you know what's supposed to be inside (let's face it, us grown ups either request or buy our own presents!) it always seems like a surprise when it's all there, baked nice and pretty. You think to yourself, "Did I just make that?!" Yes, yes you did!

 

 

Prosciutto and Provolone Chicken Roll-Ups with a Creamy Tomato Sauce

 

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts

4 slices provolone

4 slices prosciutto (or deli ham)

4 large basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried basil

3 tablespoons sundried tomatoes (I use not packed in oil, but either is fine)

2 tablespoons butter

1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup milk (I used skim)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup favorite red spaghetti sauce

1 oz. cream cheese (I used fat free because I accidentally bought it)

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper

3 cups cooked quinoa

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8 X 8 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Trim fat off chicken breasts. On a meat designated cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and pound into about 1/4" thickness.

 

 

2. Arrange ingredients for roll-up fillings. Generously salt and pepper tops of chicken breasts. Layer two pieces of cheese on top of each chicken, staggered, not completely overlapping. Repeat with two pieces prosciutto. Repeat with two basil leaves. Evenly arrange sundried tomatoes on top.

 

3. Starting from one end, tightly roll chicken, tucking ingredients in as you roll. Secure each breast with 2-3 toothpicks.

 

4. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet on medium-medium high heat. Add minced garlic. Lay breasts in skillet and cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side, making sure to stir garlic around so it doesn't burn. (The shapes of the rolls are a bit triangular so you will probably end up searing 3 sides as opposed to 4)

 

5. Remove pan from heat and immediately transfer chicken breasts to 8 X 8 casserole pan and cook at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Begin cooking quinoa according to package directions. Stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 1 cup of cold milk until completely dissolved. Return pan with garlic to medium heat. Pour in milk mixture. Stir until bubbling. Continue to stir for 2 more minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and dash of pepper.

 

6. Add 1 cup spaghetti sauce and 1 oz. cream cheese to saucepan. Stir until cream cheese is completely dissolved. Transfer sauce mixture to blender and blend until completely smooth. If you would like a chunkier sauce, you can skip this step. I prefer the smoothness. Salt and pepper to taste. Set cooked quinoa aside.

 

7. Remove chicken from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

 

8. Slice breasts into half inch slices. Arrange on top of quinoa and drizzle with sauce. Garnish with chopped basil and grated Parmesan cheese, optional.

 

Serves 4



Lemon Basil Penne Medley

How is it that you feel like you need a vacation after every vacation??? From the moment we got back from our holiday travels all Ben and I have wanted to do was go on a date night. It didn't help that we spent our 10 year anniversary driving to Utah. Once we opened up a couple of restaurant gift cards for Christmas, we knew exactly how we were going to celebrate once we returned home. Free dinner! Can't beat that.

The weekend we got home we hit the town and went to one of our favorite restaurants (thank you Grandma Sawyer) and ordered our favorite meal, Steak Bryan. The. Best. On our way out we were raving to the hostess about how excellent the food was and she told us the sauce was so easy to make. Lots and lots of butter, lemon juice, garlic, basil and white wine. She had me lost at the "lots and lots of butter" but I figured I'd give a copycat recipe a go.

What happened tasted nothing like our divine dinner, however it was just as spectacular. From a delicious Steak Bryan came this zesty Lemon Basil Penne Medley, proof that sometimes it's a blessing when things don't quite turn out the way you planned.

 

This whole grain penne pasta is tossed with a tangy lemon basil sauce that lightly coats each little ridge. If that isn't lovely enough, I also mixed in freshly chopped basil, sweet salad tomatoes, tangy sundried tomatoes and real mozzarella chunks. And what isn't better than some shaved Parmesan cheese on top? Yes, a true pasta medley!

 

Lemon Basil Penne Medley*

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)

1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish

1 1/2 cups snacking salad tomatoes, halved

*12 oz. whole grain Penne pasta (choose gluten free for a gluten free meal)

8 oz. fresh mozarella

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (I use the ones not packed in oil)

Grated or shaved Parmesan cheese for garnishing

 

Directions:

1. Begin boiling salted water for pasta. As water is heating, prepare ingredients by slicing tomatoes in half, chopping the basil and cubing the mozzarella into 1/4" cubes. Squeeze out lemon juice making sure to discard all seeds. Finely chop your garlic cloves.

 

2. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. As pasta is cooking melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once butter has melted add in garlic. Stir continuously for 1 minute until garlic is fragrant.

 

3. In a small bowl or measuring dish, add cornstarch to the chicken broth. Stir until dissolved. Add chicken broth mixture, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar to saucepan. Bring to a light simmer and stir continuously until sauce begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Add chopped basil and stir 2 minutes more. Add 2/3 of the sliced salad tomatoes and stir 2 minutes more.

 

4. At this point your pasta should be cooked. Drain pasta and set aside. Remove sauce pan from heat and immediately toss in warm penne, mozzarella chunks, remaining salad tomatoes, and sundried tomatoes. Stir to coat all pasta.

 

5. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

 

Serves 6



Creamy Rosemary Chicken and Broccoli Bake

All TV shows, commercials and movies portray this idea that kids do not like broccoli. So how is it that my child, who is one of the pickiest eaters I know, loves broccoli? By the way, just because she is picky doesn't mean she gets away with it. I make her try everything! I figure one day she'll thank me.

On the broccoli note, Braelyn loves a good old chicken and broccoli casserole. Here's my beef with the traditional chicken and broccoli casserole recipes: mayonnaise and condensed soup mixed together. Hmmm...doesn't sound too fresh to me. Although, don't get me wrong, it tastes great. I just prefer my cooking to come more from me than a factory where preservatives are packed in to give it the longest shelf life possible. Sorry, soapbox there. So, I make adaptations where I can. Plus, by omitting the condensed soup, I have now made Braelyn's favorite meal gluten free. Viola!

 

I also decided to forego the mayonnaise and it yielded a "much better version" according to Ben. You get a thicker topping by adding mayonnaise which Ben doesn't quite prefer. Who wants a glob of cream in their mouth anyway? Without the mayonnaise, the topping is thick enough to stay on top of the chicken, but allows some of the sauce to drip down into the broccoli giving the naked layer of veggies more flavor. Yum-O!

 

Creamy Rosemary Chicken and Broccoli Bake

 

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (use my favorite cooking method  for chicken found here)

2 small heads of broccoli, roughly chopped (about 3 heaping cups)

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, finely chopped* or 3/4 teaspoon dried

1 cup milk (I used 2%. If using lighter, increase cornstarch to 2 1/2-3 teaspoons)

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, or one cube

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 oz. cream cheese (I used fat free because I accidentally bought it. Worked great though!)

2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3 cups cooked brown rice

 

Directions:

1. Begin cooking rice according to package directions. Tip: I always cook my rice in chicken or vegetable broth to give it more flavor. Begin cooking chicken. The flavor is amazing if you cook it the way I prepared it for this Healthified Chicken Alfredo. Otherwise use a shredded rotisserie chicken or boil the breasts for 12 minutes. (If you choose boiling, salt and pepper the chicken after shredding to add more taste.)

 

2. Prepare ingredients by mincing garlic and rosemary. *Rosemary leaves should equal 1 tablespoon before chopping. After chopping it should yield about 1 1/2 teaspoons. Wash and roughly chop mushrooms. Finely chop onion. Wash and roughly chop broccoli heads.

 

3. Melt butter in medium size saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir frequently during all these additions.

 

4. In a bowl mix cold milk with cornstarch. Stir to dissolve. Add mixture to onion and mushroom mixture. Add rosemary, chicken bouillon, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a low boil and cook for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese. Stir until fully melted. Salt and pepper sauce to taste. Remove from heat.

 

5. Place broccoli in a microwave safe container with 4 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Drain. Lightly grease an 8 X 8 casserole dish. Distribute broccoli evenly in dish.

 

6. Shred chicken and layer evenly on top of broccoli.

 

7. Pour sauce to cover all chicken. Spread evenly. Bake in oven at 350 degrees uncovered for 25 minutes.

 

8. Remove from oven and layer with shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Return to oven for additional 10 minutes. Remove casserole from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff rice before serving.

 

9. Serve each bowl with 1/2 cup of rice and broccoli casserole on top. I like to garnish mine with toasted chopped pecans. Oh, and this tastes almost better the next day! No complaining for leftovers.

 

Serves 6



Healthified Chicken Alfredo

I love Alfredo, but I hardly ever get to eat it. Every time we go to an Italian restaurant and I skim the menu, the Alfredo is so tempting. I can just never bring myself to order it because Alfredo in and of itself is so fattening, and then you add the factor that a restaurant is making it?! That totally drives up the "not so healthy for you" status. Restaurants are known for adding more sodium and fat to their food because heck, it just makes it taste better.

But here's the good news; if you make your own Alfredo sauce you can cater it to your own preferences. My personal preference for Alfredo: light yet creamy with a garlicky undertone. Perfect!

 

This Healthified Chicken Alfredo was so easy to put together and the flavors were delicious. I was able to make this smooth and creamy sauce using about half the butter traditional recipes call for, as well as 2% milk instead of heavy cream or half and half. The result was quite comparable to mainstream Alfredo sauces. A success indeed!

 

 

Healthified Chicken Alfredo*

 

Ingredients:

2 uncooked chicken breasts

1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary or dried

4 cloves garlic, minced

*10 oz. your choice of whole grain pasta (I used gluten free spaghetti, yay!)

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup chicken broth

2 cups milk (I used 2%), divided

3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning

1/4 teaspoon pepper, plus more for seasoning

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

 

Directions:

1. Trim fat off chicken. Pierce each side of chicken with a sharp knife 8-10 times. Generously salt and pepper each side. Rub rosemary and 1 clove of the minced garlic into both sides of the chicken. Cook chicken in large saucepan or grill. (I have to admit, I still use my George Foreman from when we first got married 10 years ago! Love it though! If using a saucepan, melt 1 additional tablespoon of butter and cook chicken over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through and no longer pink. George Foreman takes 10 minutes.)

 

 

 

2. Set chicken aside (if you cooked in a saucepan, do not clean. It will give additional flavor when you cook your Alfredo in the same saucepan). Prepare salted boiling water for pasta. As you're waiting for the water to boil, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the remaining 3 minced garlic cloves and continue stirring for 1 more minute. Add 3 tablespoons chicken broth and stir until liquid has almost completely evaporated scraping bottom of the pan to deglaze (about 3-4 more minutes).

 

 

3. At this point you should begin cooking your pasta according to package directions. Very important: you want your pasta and sauce to finish at almost the exact same time. You won't want either to sit waiting for the other to be done.

4. To the saucepan add 1 3/4 cup of the milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth. Bring to a light boil. Stir constantly for five minutes.

 

 

5. Mix the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup of cold milk. Stir until dissolved. Add to saucepan and stir for one minute until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to low and immediately add grated parmesan. Stir until cheese is melted into the sauce. If sauce is too thick, add more chicken broth. Salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

6. By this point your pasta should be done. Drain pasta and pour hot pasta into saucepan. Add chopped parsley and stir to completely coat pasta.

 



 

 

7. Garnish with sliced chicken, shaved Parmesan, lemons and parsley leaves. Serve immediately.

 

Makes 5 servings.