Several years ago I planted asparagus in my garden. Directions included not harvesting for at least 2 years! For a gardener, this is a special form of torture! We've passed the two year mark, and had a LOT of asparagus last year. So much so, that we couldn't eat it all, and I ended up giving a lot away. As a result, I'm always on the lookout for recipes that include asparagus. I found a recipe similar to this on the web, but it had goat cheese. I'm from Wisconsin, and I love all cheese, EXCEPT goat (feta) cheese. I don't know why I don't like it - I just don't. I tend to be creative in my substitutions, because I don't like to leave out cheese (gotta keep those dairy farmers busy!) In this recipe, I substituted neufchatel, a low-fat cream cheese. It turned out really good, and my 7 year-old wants me to make it again soon! Another bonus, leftovers warmed up nicely the next day.
Asparagus Chicken Roulades
3 medium boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 lemon, washed
3 ounces neufchatel cheese
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 Tablespoons freshly squeeze lemon juice (rest of juice from lemon)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Holding knife parallel to work surface and against a long side of a chicken breast half, cut each chicken breast half in half horizontally. Put each piece of chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound thin.
Put neufchatel cheese in bowl and allow to soften. Grate lemon peel over neufchatel cheese and squeeze about 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice over cheese. Stir well to blend. Reserve rest of lemon juice for later use.
Remove plastic wrap from chicken. Spread each breast slice with neufchatel cheese mixture. Put asparagus spread in center of each breast slice crosswise. Roll chicken around asparagus; spears may hang out over sides. Secure with a toothpick. Sprinkle each roulade with salt and pepper.
In non-stick 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add roulades and cook, covered, 9-11 minutes or until chicken loses it's pink color, turning roulades to brown all sides. Remove skillet from heat. Place roulades in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Use same skillet to make sauce: Add chicken broth, lemon juice and cornstarch; heat to boiling, scraping up any browned bits and cook until slightly thickened. When roulades are done baking, transfer to cutting board. Remove toothpicks and slice in 1 inch-thick slices. Place each sliced roulade on a dinner plate; drizzle with pan sauce. Serve with a wild rice blend, and lemon wedges, if desired.
Nutrition information per serving: 140 calories; 7 g fat, (41.2% calories from fat); 16 g protein; 4 g carbohydrates; 1 g dietary fiber; 45 mg cholesterol; 249 mg sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (starch); 2 lean meat; 1/2 vegetable; 0 fruit; 1 fat.
Hint of the Day: I found chicken breasts "thinly sliced" in the grocery store. They were cut just the right way for this recipe - a great time saver!
Asparagus Chicken Roulades
3 medium boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 lemon, washed
3 ounces neufchatel cheese
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 Tablespoons freshly squeeze lemon juice (rest of juice from lemon)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Holding knife parallel to work surface and against a long side of a chicken breast half, cut each chicken breast half in half horizontally. Put each piece of chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound thin.
Put neufchatel cheese in bowl and allow to soften. Grate lemon peel over neufchatel cheese and squeeze about 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice over cheese. Stir well to blend. Reserve rest of lemon juice for later use.
Remove plastic wrap from chicken. Spread each breast slice with neufchatel cheese mixture. Put asparagus spread in center of each breast slice crosswise. Roll chicken around asparagus; spears may hang out over sides. Secure with a toothpick. Sprinkle each roulade with salt and pepper.
In non-stick 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add roulades and cook, covered, 9-11 minutes or until chicken loses it's pink color, turning roulades to brown all sides. Remove skillet from heat. Place roulades in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Use same skillet to make sauce: Add chicken broth, lemon juice and cornstarch; heat to boiling, scraping up any browned bits and cook until slightly thickened. When roulades are done baking, transfer to cutting board. Remove toothpicks and slice in 1 inch-thick slices. Place each sliced roulade on a dinner plate; drizzle with pan sauce. Serve with a wild rice blend, and lemon wedges, if desired.
Nutrition information per serving: 140 calories; 7 g fat, (41.2% calories from fat); 16 g protein; 4 g carbohydrates; 1 g dietary fiber; 45 mg cholesterol; 249 mg sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (starch); 2 lean meat; 1/2 vegetable; 0 fruit; 1 fat.
Hint of the Day: I found chicken breasts "thinly sliced" in the grocery store. They were cut just the right way for this recipe - a great time saver!
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