Serves 2
A simple, powerful sauce is rolled up into flattened grilled chicken breasts. Extra sauce can be served on the side. The rolls make a great grab-and-go snack the next day.
Cooking Tip: Since breast meat is low in fat, it tends to get dry and tough fast as it cooks. Pounding flattens the chicken and exposes more surface area so that it needs less time to cook through. When rolling them up, as in this recipe, you do need to make sure they cook long enough to cook through to the inner roll.
Nutrition Tip: Overly browned, barbequed and charbroiled meats produce a chemical reaction that has a carcinogen effect on the body. If you are at high risk for cancer, have cancer or are recovering, I recommend staying away from browned meats altogether. Otherwise, make sure to keep heat on medium and turn the meat often. Drinking green tea or cruciferous vegetables with browned meat might have a counter-balancing, anti-oxidant effect.
SAUCE
1 cup toasted walnuts
1-2 cloves garlic
small handful cilantro
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt (check sodium content of stock)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
CHICKEN
2 skinless, boneless half chicken breasts
Touch of olive oil
Sprinkling of salt and pepper
Throw all of the sauce ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth’ish. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
Heat the gas, charcoal or stovetop grill to medium heat.
Remove the small tender flap of meat from the underside of each breast. Gently pound each of the breasts with a kitchen mallet (the bottom of a wine bottle works well) until about 1/2-inch thick. Rub each side with a touch of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Lay the “shiny” side down.
Spread a thin layer of sauce over each breast. Roll into logs, being careful not to allow too much sauce to ooze out the sides. Pin the rolls closed with a couple toothpicks to keep them together while cooking.
Place the logs onto the hot grill, cover, and cook each side for 5-6 minutes, until no areas of the meat are pink in color. The chicken tenders and any small pieces can go on the grill and cooked 3 or so minutes each side.
Serve warm or chilled with the remaining sauce.
Food photo by Jackson D. Carson
Copyright: Alison Anton. 2009. All rights reserved.
Serves 2
A simple, powerful sauce is rolled up into flattened grilled chicken breasts. Extra sauce can be served on the side. The rolls make a great grab-and-go snack the next day.
Cooking Tip: Since breast meat is low in fat, it tends to get dry and tough fast as it cooks. Pounding flattens the chicken and exposes more surface area so that it needs less time to cook through. When rolling them up, as in this recipe, you do need to make sure they cook long enough to cook through to the inner roll.
Nutrition Tip: Overly browned, barbequed and charbroiled meats produce a chemical reaction that has a carcinogen effect on the body. If you are at high risk for cancer, have cancer or are recovering, I recommend staying away from browned meats altogether. Otherwise, make sure to keep heat on medium and turn the meat often. Drinking green tea or cruciferous vegetables with browned meat might have a counter-balancing, anti-oxidant effect.
SAUCE
1 cup toasted walnuts
1-2 cloves garlic
small handful cilantro
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt (check sodium content of stock)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
CHICKEN
2 skinless, boneless half chicken breasts
Touch of olive oil
Sprinkling of salt and pepper
Throw all of the sauce ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth’ish. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
Heat the gas, charcoal or stovetop grill to medium heat.
Remove the small tender flap of meat from the underside of each breast. Gently pound each of the breasts with a kitchen mallet (the bottom of a wine bottle works well) until about 1/2-inch thick. Rub each side with a touch of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Lay the “shiny” side down.
Spread a thin layer of sauce over each breast. Roll into logs, being careful not to allow too much sauce to ooze out the sides. Pin the rolls closed with a couple toothpicks to keep them together while cooking.
Place the logs onto the hot grill, cover, and cook each side for 5-6 minutes, until no areas of the meat are pink in color. The chicken tenders and any small pieces can go on the grill and cooked 3 or so minutes each side.
Serve warm or chilled with the remaining sauce.
Food photo by Jackson D. Carson
Copyright: Alison Anton. 2009. All rights reserved.