Ingredients
- Chicken:
- 4 whole chicken breasts
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 qt vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped (garnish)
- Lemon wedges (garnish)
- Béchamel Sauce:
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 Tbsp unbleached flour
- 2 cups cold milk
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh grated nutmeg, to taste
- Spinach:
- 1 package frozen spinach leaves, thawed & squeezed dry)
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- Olive oil, for sautéing
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Peppercorn Sauce:
- 2 cups chicken or beef stock, or a combination of both
- 2 (heaping)Tbsp green peppercorns
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
Preparation
Step 1
To prepare the chicken, remove the skin and excess fat from the chicken and cut each breast into two halves. Pound the breasts to approximately 1/2" thickness and soak in the beaten eggs.
To prepare the green peppercorn sauce, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium-size saucepan. Add the peppercorns and mash about half of them with the back of a fork. Add the stock, bring the mixture to a low boil, and reduce by half.
To prepare béchamel, melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium high heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for one minute. Add the milk all at once and whisk to combine. Continue stirring until the sauce just begins to boil. Lower the heat and continue cooking until the sauce thickens. Add the salt and pepper and nutmeg. Remove the mixture from heat and stir in the cheese. Set aside to cool.
To prepare the spinach, sauté the minced garlic in olive oil until aromatic (about 30 seconds). Add the chopped, prepared spinach. Sauté for a few minutes and add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Set aside to cool. Combine half of the cooled béchamel with the spinach.
To stuff the chicken breasts, pour half the breadcrumbs onto a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to hold four breast halves. Place the chicken on top and press to coat the bottom of the breast. Put a tablespoon of béchamel in the center of each breast. Top with a generous tablespoon of the spinach mixture and another tablespoon of béchamel. Lay the other breast half on top and coat with remaining breadcrumbs, pressing the sides to seal.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high (about 375°F) heat. Add the stuffed breasts and fry for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Flip the chicken and fry on the other side. Move the breasts to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Keep the chicken warm in the oven while you make the Peppercorn Sauce.
To prepare the Peppercorn Sauce, combine the flour with 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Stir the butter into the pan with the stock and peppercorns and heat until slightly thickened.
Spoon some sauce onto each plate and place a stuffed breast on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serves 4