Chicken Involtini with Cauliflower Puree

Posted 2013-04-10 by Annalisa Brown ⇒ follow

Chicken Involtini and Polenta merges two of my family’s long held favourites. Hailing from the South of Italy, my mum would regularly make Involtini’s either with chicken or veal and even eggplants.

When she married my dad she learnt to combine her southern culinary palate with an Austrian-Slovenian-Italian twist. I’ve borrowed my mum’s interpretation of this dish and given it a little twist of my own.

I hope you enjoy my Chicken Involtini served on Cauliflower Puree with Polenta Bites.

Chicken Involtini served on a Cauliflower Puree with Polenta Bites

Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients
Cauliflower Puree
1 Potato
1 ½ Cups of Cauliflower
½ Mushroom Stock Cube (can be substituted with Vegetable Stock Cube)
Water to cover vegetables
Pepper to taste
Dollop of Butter

Polenta
2.5 Cups of Water
1 Cup of Polenta
Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Rosemary (to be used as seasoning)

Chicken Involtini
1 Double Breasted Chicken Breast
Oregano, Salt, Pepper to season Chicken Breast
4 Basil Leaves
4 Pieces of Sun Dried Tomatoes
4 Slices of Camembert Cheese
2 Slices of Triple Smoked Ham (this can be omitted if preferred)
Olive Oil for frying
2 Cups White Wine for Sauce

Method

Cauliflower Puree

Peel the potato and dice cauliflower into smaller pieces.

key ingredients for the Puree Parsnip and Potatoes

Place all ingredients including the pepper and mushroom stock cube into a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil until ingredients are tender and all water has been absorbed.

Cover ingredients and bring to the boil until ingredients are tender and all water has been absorbed

Add a dollop of butter and using a fork whip the cauliflower into a puree (it should have a porridge like consistency). Set aside.

Whip the Cauliflower into a Puree it should have a porridge like consistency

Use this recipe to make the polenta bites.

Chicken Involtini

Cut the double chicken breast into separate halves, trim any fat then flatten with a meat tenderiser.

Trim excess fat from the chicken then flatten using a meat tenderiser

Using a small amount of olive oil, pan fry the chicken breasts until a pale golden colour (the trick is not too over-cook). This should take approximately 5 minutes on each side.

Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes.

Season with salt, pepper and oregano.

Pan fry the chicken then season and top with basil leaves

Layer the chicken with basil, followed by sun-dried tomato, camembert cheese and smoked ham.

Layer with sundried tomatoes

Layer with camembert cheese

Layer with triple smoked ham

(Ham can be omitted if preferred and substituted with avocado)

Starting from one end, roll the chicken breast into a roll (involtini). Secure with tooth picks and cotton or string.

Roll the chicken into involtinis

Place 8 tablespoons of olive oil into a pan and pan fry the rolled chicken breasts until a deep golden colour. Constantly turn the rolls over to ensure the chicken is cooked thoroughly. This should take approximately 5 minutes