Charcoal Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Prosciutto And Fontina Recipes

CHARCOAL-GRILLED STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PROSCIUTTO AND FONTINA

Steps:

• 1. Starting on thick side of breast, closest to breastbone, cut horizontal pocket in each breast, stopping ½ inch from edge so halves remain attached. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 1 quart cold water in large container. Add breasts, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. 2. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal (6 quarts, about 100 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Arrange all coals over half of grill, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat grate until hot, about 5 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush. Dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when coals are hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 2 seconds). 3. Meanwhile, combine butter, shallot, and tarragon in small bowl. Roll each piece of cheese in 1 slice prosciutto. Remove breasts from brine, dry thoroughly inside and out with paper towels, and season inside and out with pepper. Spread equal amount of butter mixture inside each breast. Place 1 prosciutto-wrapped piece of cheese inside each breast and fold breast over to enclose. Evenly space 3 pieces kitchen twine (each about 12 inches long) beneath each breast and tie, trimming any excess. 4. Place chicken breasts, skin side down, over hot part of grill and cook until well browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until second side is just opaque, about 2 minutes. Move chicken, skin side up, to cool side of grill, with thicker side of breasts facing fire. Cover grill and continue to cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of stuffing registers 160 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest, tented with foil, 10 minutes. Remove twine, then carve breast meat from bone (see photo below). Carve into ½-inch-thick slices and serve.

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST STUFFED WITH PROSCIUTTO AND BASIL

Steps:

• Prepare grill.
• On a work surface spread prosciutto slices evenly with mustard. Top slices with basil leaves and sprinkle evenly with mozzarella. Starting with a short end roll up each prosciutto slice.
• Pat chicken dry and put on a work surface, skinned sides down. Remove "tender" (fillet strip located on either side of where breast bone was) from each breast half, keeping rest of chicken breast intact, and reserve tenders for another use. (There should be 1 tender from each breast half.)
• To form a long thin pocket in chicken for prosciutto roll: Put chicken breast halves on cutting board and, beginning at thicker end of breast half, horizontally insert a thin sharp knife three fourths of the way through center of each. Open cut to create a 1-inch-wide pocket in each half. Fit a prosciutto roll into each pocket and season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Grill chicken on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side. (Alternatively, chicken may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately low heat.)