Lip Smacking Chicken Pillows

The presentation and taste is that of a Very Fine Restaurant. Pamper your loved ones with these elegant pillows filled with flavor making them fit for a romantic Valentines evening. Served over a bed of fresh spinach or rice. Don't forget to remove the string or toothpicks.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 lbs chicken breasts, 5 cutlets sliced thin
•  salt, to taste
•  pepper, to taste
•  dried basil, to taste
• 1⁄8-1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne, to taste

• Filling

• 1⁄4 cup pine nuts, toasted and divided in half (optional)
• 15  baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
• 5  tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
• 1 1⁄2 ounces asiago cheese, cut into 5 strips

• Coating

• 1  cup flour
• 1  egg, whisked

• Frying

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  tablespoon butter

• Sauce

• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄3 cup white wine
• 1  cup  chicken stock

• Garnish

•  fresh basil
•  fresh parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Place one chicken breast cutlets between two pieces of clear plastic wrap; working from the center to the edges, pound the chicken lightly with a meat mallet, forming a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick; remove the plastic wrap.
3. Place all cutlets in a single layer on a work surface. Season both sides with salt, pepper, basil and cayenne.
4. Evenly distribute 1/2 the pine nuts (reserving 1/2 for garnish) on the cutlets, top with tomatoes, cheese and spinach leaves.
5. Roll up the chicken securing them up with string or tooth picks into bundles. Repeat with remaining chicken.
6. Coat each bundle with flour then dip into egg then back into flour.
7. Whisk the remaining flour (about 1-2 tablespoons) into 1/4 cup of the chicken stock and set aside.
8. In a large hot skillet cook chicken bundles in butter and oil 5-10 minutes turning until golden brown, adding additional butter if needed. Remove chicken and place in warm oven.
9. Place garlic in pan and saute for 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup white wine to the garlic to deglaze the pan. Add chicken stock and the flour/stock mixture. Whisk till smooth and thicken if to thick add additional stock. Simmering for 5 minutes.
10. Remove chicken from oven top with sauce and garnish with pine nuts and fresh basil.