Planning Ahead... Pasta Stuffed Airline Chicken Breast with Asparagus.....

Pasta, Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Airline Chicken Breast

A few weeks ago I mentioned the difficulties in everyday cooking as it pertains to cooking just enough food without having very many leftovers. Well, today I want to talk about making extra just to hold for a different menu later in the week. If you read the blog a few days ago you would have seen the vegetarian stuffed pasta, well in this case I had already planned to use this filling for the stuffed chicken later this week. The easiest and most economical way to shop is to get items that can have multiple uses so that you can have more options. One thing to consider is, how creative you can be when using the same things more than once so that you and the people you are cooking for stay interested in what you are providing.




On the menu today: Stuffed Airline Chicken Breast with Asparagus

Crispy Skin

There are times when it is totally appropriate to make extra to hold for later use. The stuffing that I am making (as seen in the picture above) is great to eat the day of but for stuffing chicken, it's even better if you allow the stuffing to sit, refrigerated of course, for a few days to allow for the flavors to properly combine. The chicken will be marinated so it will be good on its' own but a great stuffing can take it to the next level. When you go to your grocer ask the butcher to cut the airline breast for you and leave the skin on, normally they will be happy to fill your request and even happier that you know what an airline breast is in the first place (the breast with the drumstick portion of the wing attached).



For the chicken we will need the following:

• Airline Chicken Breast 
• Garlic (2 Tbs)
• Lemon (.25 cup)
• Olive Oil (4 Tbs)
• Coarse Salt (1 Tbs)
• Filling (2 cups) see Pasta Vegetarian menu 

First cut a slit or pocket into the chicken by taking a small knife to the rounded part of the chicken breast and carefully creating a pocket (see below).

Chicken with Slit.....

Make the marinade by adding the garlic, lemon, olive oil (1 Tbs), adding it to the chicken and allowing it to sit refrigerated for 1-24 hours. Once marinated, pat dry the skin of the chicken with a paper towel and salt the skin liberally, adding to a heated skillet to brown for 5-7 minutes over medium-high to high heat. Remove from pan and allow to cool for stuffing. Once cooled add the filling by placing in a pastry bad or ziplock and piping into the slit created earlier. Place in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for 25 to 40 minutes or until done. Once done allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting and plate as seen below.

For the Asparagus we will need:

• Asparagus (1#)
• Garlic (1 Tbs)
• Soy Sauce (2 Tbs)
• Olive Oil (1 Tbs)
• White Wine (.5 cup)

Sautéed Asparagus with Garlic 

Cut the asparagus into 3 inch pieces and add to a heated sauté pan to cook for 3-5 minutes, add the garlic allowing it to brown, adding the soy sauce and finally the white wine and cover for 1 minute. After the minute is done take off the lid and allow to cook off all liquid. Plate as seen below.

For the cream sauce please refer to the Vegetarian Pasta Menu.