Chicken with ham, spinach & pine nuts

30-60 minutes 600 kcal or less al fresco butterflied celebration dining at dusk dinner party eat outdoors eat outside garden party impress in season mains oven baked oven cooked poultry restaurant style roast chicken seafood seasonal shellfish stuffed chicken stuffing weekend

N/A

Source

Ingredients

8 skinless chicken breasts

300g young spinach leaves, washed

3 tbsp toasted pine nut

2 tbsp raisin , chopped

pinch Chinese five-spice powder

75g butter

8 thin slices bayonne ham or prosciutto

2 tbsp olive oil

3 shallots , finely chopped

150ml dry white wine

juice ½ lemon

200g tub crème fraîche

handful chives

Method

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Split each chicken breast almost in half and open out like a book. Put each piece of chicken between 2 sheets of cling film and, using a rolling pin, bat out to flatten. Season the chicken all over.

Put the spinach in a colander and pour over boiling water from the kettle to wilt the leaves. Press out as much water as possible, then tip into a bowl. Add the pine nuts, raisins and spice, season, and mix well to combine. Melt half the butter and add to the bowl.

Place a slice of ham or prosciutto over each chicken breast and spread with a thin layer of spinach mixture. Roll up and secure with cocktail sticks or string. Heat a knob more of butter and the oil in a pan. Fry the chicken rolls until browned, then remove to a roasting tin and roast for 10-15 mins until cooked through.

Add the shallots to the pan with the remaining butter and cook gently until softened but not browned. Add the wine and lemon juice, bring to the boil, then simmer until reduced by half.

Stir in the crème fraîche and simmer for 1-2 mins until thickened. Snip the chives into the sauce and stir lightly. Remove cocktail sticks or string, then slice the chicken and place on warmed plates. Spoon the sauce around and serve with the tians and potatoes.