Chicken Roulade Stuffed with Garlic and Prunes

If you want to make an elegant entree for your significant other, this fits the bill.  A roulade is just a fancy name for roll as in yule log.  In Italian it's a braciola, stuffed and rolled, simple.  Once you get the hang of it the rolade comes together quickly and you'll want to use this technique over and over again with a  different stuffing.  Be creative!

My chicken stuffed with garlic and prunes would be a great dinner party item.  It can be  doubled or tripled  with ease.  And if prunes aren't your '"thing", substitute dried apricots.

Ingredients:  (serves 2)

2 skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded

1/2 cup chopped prunes

1 tsp lemon zest or dried lemon verbena

1 clove of garlic, minced or a 1/2 tsp of garlic powder

1/4 cup flour

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbs olive oil

string to tie the roulades

splash of white wine

splash of chicken broth


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butterfly and pound the chicken breasts and lay flat.  Mix the prunes and garlic in a small bowl.  Spread the mixture on both breasts, close to one of the ends.  In a couple of plates/pie tins have the flour in one, egg in another and panko in the last.  

This is where it gets messy.  Roll the chicken while enclosing the prunes in the middle.  Secure each with 2-3 pieces of string each.  Now dredge each chicken into the flour first, then egg, and lastly the bread crumbs.  Gently set aside.

In a large skillet that is oven proof, melt the butter and oil and bring to medium heat.  Begin to brown the "rolls" turning gently so all sides are light brown.  Splash in the white wine and broth and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until done.  Remove from the oven, cool slightly and cut into pieces being careful to also remove the string.  Wonderful and what an impressive presentation!