Chicken Roulade with saffron Risotto

Ingredients for Chicken Roulade

1. 3 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2. 4 teaspoons butter, softened
3. ½ teaspoon ground sage
4. ½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest
5. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
6. 3 slices prosciutto
7. 1 tablespoon olive oil
8. ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
9. ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
10. 1 recipe Saffron Risotto Rounds (recipe follows)
11. Garnish: fresh sage

Instructions to follow while making chicken Roulade

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Set aside.
3. Place chicken breasts, top side down, in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag or between sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or a rolling pin, pound chicken breasts to a ¼-inch thickness. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, combine butter, sage, and lemon zest, stirring to blend. Spread butter mixture evenly over rough sides of chicken breasts. Sprinkle evenly with parsley.
5. Lay a slice of prosciutto over butter layer on each breast. Starting from a short end, roll up chicken, encasing prosciutto. Place chicken seam sides down. Drizzle each chicken roulade with olive oil, and season evenly with garlic salt and pepper.
6. Preheat a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place chicken roulades in pan, seam sides down, and cook until undersides of roulades are golden brown and seams are sealed, 3 to 4 minutes. Cook tops and sides of roulades until light golden brown, approximately 3 minutes.
7. Place roulades on prepared baking sheet, seam side down.
8. Bake for 12 minutes. Keep roulades warm by tenting foil over them.
9. When ready to serve, cut ¼-inch slices from each roulade, discarding ends. Place 2 chicken roulade slices on each Saffron Risotto Round.
10. Garnish with fresh sage, if desired.
11. Serve immediately.

Please Note

Chicken roulades can be baked a day in advance, wrapped tightly in foil, and refrigerated overnight. When ready to serve, cut into slices, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover tightly with foil, and bake in a 350° oven until chicken roulades are warm, approximately 5 minutes.

Saffron Risotto

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons butter
2. ½ cup chopped onion
3. 1 cup Arborio rice
4. 3 cups chicken broth
5. ⅛ teaspoon saffron
6. 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
7. 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Method to follow for making the Risotto

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In an oven-safe sauté pan with a lid, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes, reducing temperature if onions start to brown. Add rice, and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and saffron, stirring to combine. Cover with lid.
4. Bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, approximately 45 minutes.
5. Fluff rice with a fork. Add cheese and cream, stirring until incorporated. Pat risotto into prepared baking pan. Let cool for 30 minutes, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350°.
7. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
8. Using a 2½-inch round cutter, cut 8 rounds from cold risotto. Place rounds on prepared baking sheet. Cover tightly with foil, and bake until warm, 10 to 15 minutes.