Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken

About a month ago, we went with some friends to Bucca di Beppo for dinner.  My husband spotted this chicken dish on the menu and ordered it.  Tasty!  I tried to recreate it, and he said that it tasted just as good or better than the one that he had.  Woot!  Woot! There are a couple different sauces to make, but if you'd like to simplify it, you can skip the homemade sauces, although that makes it all that much better.  :)

Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken:

2 Chicken Breasts

4 slices prosciutto

2 slices Swiss cheese (provolone or Havarti would be really good, too)

Dijon mustard

1 c Italian bread crumbs

Marinara:

1/4 c olive oil
2T - 4T c minced garlic (not a typo) adjust to your liking
14 oz diced tomatoes, put in a food processor to get rid of chunks
2 c water
1 T fresh basil (or 1 t dried)
1/2 T fresh parsley (or 1/2 t dried)
1 1/2 t sugar
1/4 t pepper

Creamy Pesto:
2 c loosely packed parsley
1 t minced garlic
2 T lemon juice
1/4 c walnuts, pecans, or pine nuts
salt and pepper
3/4 c olive oil
1/4 c cream

Parmesan Cheese

Preheat the oven to 375.

Place plastic wrap over the chicken breast with the shiny side up.  Pound it out so the chicken is about 1/2-3/4 inch thick.  Place one piece of Prosciutto on the chicken.  Top with a piece of Swiss cheese.  I had to break mine in half to make it fit.

                                                       

Place another piece of Prosciutto on top. 

 Roll up the chicken breasts.  While you are rolling them up, tuck in the sides as you go.  Use toothpicks to close any opening.  I think I had 6 toothpicks in one of those bad boys.  I'm not paying 75,000 to go to Le Cordon Bleu to learn how to do this with only using one toothpick.  Crazy!

Brush the chicken rolls with the dijon mustard.  I used a pastry brush, but a spatula would be fine as well.  Roll them in the bread crumbs.  Place them on a greased baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes.

While they are baking, prepare the marinara sauce.   Place the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute for about 20 seconds.  Add the tomatoes and other ingredients.  Let it simmer until you are ready to serve the chicken.

For the pesto, place the parsley, garlic, lemon juice, nuts, salt, and 1/4 t pepper in a blender.  Add 1/4 c of oil and pulse until it a few times.  While the blender is still on, add the remaining oil.  You'll need to stop it and scrape down the sides from time to time.  Add the cream while the blender is on low as well.  Add it a little at a time to make sure it doesn't get too watered down.  It's ready!

When the chicken comes out of the oven, pour some of the creamy pesto on a plate.  Place the chicken on top of the pesto.  Top with the fresh marinara.  I sprinkled some freshly grated Parmesan on top of the marinara.  Make sure you can give your eaters a steak knife to be able to cut down the middle of thise chicken and behold the lovely swirled Prosciutto-Swiss chicken-y goodness.