Dinner Party Go-To Dish: Baked Stuffed Cheesy Chicken Proscuitto

‘Tis the season...for dinner parties!

You know that feeling of having a closet full of clothes, but nothing to wear? You stand and stare at the same, tired, worn outfits-but nothing seems to fit the bill. That was me one Saturday night trying to plan a dinner party menu: Tons of recipes, nothing fit.

It sounds ridiculous, even to me now. But I became so nervous I was pacing and fretting, deliberating and debating over the menu options, to no end. I reminded myself to settle down, cook what I know. After all, if you just hit all the right notes-savory, salty, sweet and satisfying, you can’t go wrong.

The pressure of throwing dinner parties can be overwhelming, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from hostessing them. It helps to have a set of go-to dishes that cook perfectly every time, are delicious and easy to prepare. I decided on my family’s new favorite appetizer Dates in a Blanket to warm up my guests palate, and for the main course: Baked Stuffed Chicken Prosciutto.

This chicken dish features a blend of mozzarella and bleu cheese,(because cheese always makes it better!), and prosciutto; A simple baby spinach salad with bleu cheese crumbles and dressed with balsamic was a nice accompaniment.

I made a quick bechamel (white) sauce to coat the chicken with when it came out of the oven, which is totally optional, but complimented the flavors and also helped to keep the chicken moist. End result? Totally delish. This recipe saved my night, and was a perfect fit. Enjoy!

Baked Stuffed Cheesy Chicken Proscuitto

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ¾ inch thickness
¼ lb sliced prosciutto
4 oz. blue cheese
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ c. baby spinach
1 T. olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper

To Prepare

Place the chicken breast pieces on a large cutting or pastery board between two pieces of wax or parchment paper.

Use a meat tenderizer, (or heavy skillet-I use the back of a heavy ladel, bricks work, too!) to pound the chicken to ¾ inch thickness.

In a small bowl, combine two cheeses, salt and pepper.

Line up the chicken breasts in front of you and layer each, first with prosciutto; Next layer a small amount of cheese mixture down the length of each piece of chicken. Finally, a single layer of baby spinach leaves, (about 5-6 leaves, end to end).

Roll the chicken starting at one end, jellyroll style, and place seam side down in a 9x12 baking dish.

Drizzle slightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for five minutes before slicing. Coat each with a ladle full of bechamel sauce, if desired. Serves 6.