Chicken Involtini
‘Involtini’ are rolls of meat wrapped around fillings such as cheese, cured hams and vegetables, all tied together with kitchen string. They are then cooked in and served with a delicious wine or tomato-based sauce. The options for your involtini combinations are endless! If you choose chicken, consider asking your butcher to debone a chicken thigh with the leg attached, as it will give you a bigger piece to work with. Also ask them to tenderise it for you lightly. Job done!
I love to serve involtini alongside something green and with fresh crusty bread to mop up the juices. Also, lovely in a sandwich the next day. This dish could be an entertaining showstopper or a simple everyday rustic meal for the family. I just love it because it tastes so good.
Serves: 6-8 people
Preparation: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS
1.2 kg chicken thigh with leg, deboned and tenderised (about 4 pieces)
150g pecorino cheese, thinly sliced
4-6 slices of prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, grilled and sliced (or grab from a jar)
Small handful of fresh spinach leaves
Kitchen string
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup marsala wine (Boronia works well or use white wine)
Sea salt, to taste
METHOD
Prepare the involtini by placing a piece of the chicken on a clean surface
Cover each piece of chicken with spinach, prosciutto, cheese and then some red pepper (don’t put too much filling as it will be difficult to roll up)
Roll up the chicken tightly and hold together with butcher string. Depending on how big the piece of chicken is, I will usually tie it across two to three spots)
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and warm up the olive oil. Place the involtini in the pan and cook slowly until it is completely cooked through the middle. This will take about 10 - 15 minutes. You may like to place a lid on the top at the start to get it going. Once cooked, put the chicken aside and rest under a tent of foil.
Deglaze the hot pan with the wine and cook down a little until it forms a lovely sauce. Strain this sauce into a warm jug and put aside.
To serve, remove the string from each piece of chicken and slice into rounds.
Place the chicken pieces on a lovely serving platter and pour the marsala sauce over the chicken.
Serve alongside cooked greens, a crisp green salad and fresh crusty bread (of course!).
