Chicken in Phyllo

[maleficent]

Made this for dinner tonite, and boy was it tasty... Phyllo is pretty easy to work with...


Chicken in Phyllo
Served Just Me -- multiply by number of servings

Ingredients:
1 Boneless Chicken Breast
2 sheets Phyllo dough at room temperature
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
dash of cinnamon
2 tbs melted butter

Marinate chicken in honey, soy sauce, cinnamon, garlic and freshly grated ginger (a little salt and pepper to taste) at least 5 hours
Place one sheet of phyllo on work surface and brush lightly with melted butter. Add second layer of phyllo dough and place chicken in center. Carefully fold up edges around chicken.
Pour approximately one tablespoon of melted butter on "completed package".
Cook in 450 oven for about 15 minutes. Top will be beautifully browned and chicken perfectly cooked.

(i cooked this in the toaster oven and it worked great)

[little_tippler]

I made something similar to this last night...it was good too. I got the idea from a Jamie Oliver cookbook (ever heard of The Naked Chef?) and then adapted it to my taste.

Stuffed Chicken in Puff Pastry
serves 4

Splay 4 chicken breasts open with a knife then marinade them in some grated lemon rind, grain mustard and some smooth dijon for extra kick too. Don't forget seasoning.

Chop up 4 garlic cloves, a big bunch of parsley, and some mushrooms, into a fine mince (leave some of the mushrooms in bigger chunks for texture). Fry this mix in a pan with some olive oil and a knob of butter, and sprinkle over some cajun seasoning (if liked), some salt and pepper. When fried, leave to cool.

Roll out 400g of puff pastry into a sheet about 0,5 cm thick, and large enough (in area) to wrap the 4 chicken breasts). Cut it into 4 pieces that will fit the chicken.

Preheat your oven at about 175-200ºC (Gas Mark 6)

Place your chicken breasts on a chopping board and place a generous portion of the mushroom stuffing in the centre, then close them up. No need for toothpicks to hold them.

Place each stuffed chicken breast in the middle of the puff pastry and close up the pastry around the chicken. To stick the dough together use some water.

Place the parcels on a tray ready for the oven. Brush the entire parcel with some egg yolk.

Put the tray in the oven, 35 mins should be enough to make the pastry golden brown, and the chicken will be perfectly cooked. If the pastry starts to burn too much before the time is up, cover the tray wit some aluminium foil so that the chicken can still cook for the time it needs.

mmmm, these tasted great, definitely one to make again!

[avernus]

Jamie's dish is similar to the classic Beef Wellington where fillets of beef and a mix of mushrooms and pate are wrapped in puff pastry. Both look super tasty

BTW, For those that don't know Jamie Oliver he is a UK cook. Classically trained he has recently done a show called Jamie's School Dinners where he tackles the atrocious food served to the nation's children. He shows its possible to serve proper fresh food rather than burgers, chips and pizza. So popular was his show and with such impact that he got a petition of 200,000 names which he took to No. 10 Downing Street. Now the health secretary is implementing his plans for healthier food!! Not only is he a good cook he is a bloody good human being.

BTW, Maleficient, I've never seen Phyllo spelt like that! I had to google to figure out it is what I know as Filo. I don't know which spelling is correct (if either) but I will look in my newly acquired Larousse Gastronomique tonight

[maleficent]

It was spelled Phyllo on the package...

That book is phenomenal.... enjoy it...

[Fremen]

Does the sealed dough steam the chicken?
Do you flatten the chicken breast, mal?
I worry the inside will be pink.

[Fremen]

BTW, the only phyllo dough I've eaten is KFC's chicken potpie. It was real flaky.
Reminded me of those buscuits in a can that flake easily.

[maleficent]

the breast i used wasn't really big and plump -- it was maybe 4 -5 ounces - I flattened it a little bit... but not a lot... the dough did seem to steam the chicken somewhat because it was wonderfully tender on the inside... and it was very well cooked.

Since I only cooked one, and I used the toaster oven (on a very hot oven), I supposed that you could cook multiples and cover them in foil for the first 10 minutes or so - and take off the foil for 10 minutes so that the phyllo browns.

[Fremen]

Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the suggestion, mal.

Also, thanks for the recipe. I've been looking for a new easy chicken dish.