Pollo Maria (Zia's on the Hill, St. Louis, Mo)

JanuaryBride's Note:

Decadent stuff here my friends! They make this with cod which is equally as good, if not better, than it is with the chicken. This is Zia's actual recipe as posted on their website. Takes a little time to prepare, but is worth every minute. The original recipe calls for 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup of Provel cheese (which is not recognized by Zaar). . .per Wikipedia, Provel is a white processed cheese that is popular in St. Louis, Missouri and is produced with cheddar, Swiss, and provolone. Since Provel was not an option here on Zaar, I just substituted provolone; feel free to use a mix of Swiss and provolone for a more true rendition.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 4.0 chicken ...

• 4 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 cup sweet Italian salad dressing
• 1 1/4 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chicken base
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dry rubbed sage
• 1/3 cup shredded provolone cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded provolone cheese
• 5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped coarsely
• 8 small broccoli florets, steamed
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken in salad dressing for at least one hour at room temperature. Drain chicken; discard marinade.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Lightly coat chicken in seasoned bread crumbs. Arrange chicken in a baking dish;bake until cooked through, about 30 minutes.
4. In a small saucepan,melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour; cook 3 to 4 minutes to make a roux. Set aside.
5. In another pan,dissolve chicken base in 2 cups water.
6. Stir in cream, pepper, and sage. Bring to a boil and add roux. Stir constantly until mixture returns to a boil and begins to thicken.
7. Stir in 1/3 cup provel and remove from heat.
8. Coat the bottom of a medium baking dish with sauce; arrange cooked chicken on top of sauce.
9. Top chicken with bacon,broccoli,and tomato. Pour remaining sauce over all.
10. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and remaining provel cheese to cover.
11. Return to oven and broil on high until cheese begins to melt and slightly brown, about 3 minutes. BUON APPETITO!

Reviews

[Thriftymom]

Very filling but very delicious! Kids loved it too...the best thing is that its so filling you don't have to make any sides to go with it.

[Chef #337393]

This is EXACTLY like Zia's on the Hill in St. Louis. I have access to Provel and have been looking for this receipe for a while. Thanks its was AWESOME