Chicken Charlton

 

This recipe comes to you from my friend Emma’s kitchen. It’s a brilliant recipe to have, as its the sort of thing that you can glam right up for a dinner party, or keep on the down low for mid week supper at home. The ingredients list is short and the prep time minimal. As I write this, Emma is winging her way to St. Lucia to participate in a team with me and Tracey in the second annual St. Lucia Triathlon. I may have to regale you with photos and stories in another posting. We plan to “complete” not “compete”, and the name we have chosen for our team is a little cheeky.

I’m not sure how she’s going to react to the fact that as usual I have Sun temple-ized her recipe. I have given both sets of photos so you can pick which method you prefer. Basically you can choose to make them as individual portions or compile the whole lot as a chicken casserole. Both are fab!

 Serves 8

8 chicken breasts

8 tbsp pesto (homemade or best quality jar)

300 g goat’s cheese

16 slices proscuito (parma ham)

large bunch basil

I have only done the casserole version with the smaller number of 3 chicken breasts which adequately feeds 4. If this is the version you choose, then leave the other ingredients at 50% of full recipe quantities.

Assemble the individual portions as per the photos above, which you then wrap securely in foil. This can be done ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 1 day, which is useful if you plan on serving them for a dinner party.

For the chicken casserole version, first mix the goat’s cheese and the pesto together thoroughly. Then make 3 layers of chicken, goat’s cheese/pesto mix and prosciutto and cook in a casserole dish with a tight fitting lid.

In both versions, liberally sprinkle fresh basil leaves wherever the whim takes you. I put them in each layer. The individual portions will cook faster at about 25 minutes in a 180ºC (350ºF) while the chicken casserole will take closer to 40 minutes. Both should result in delicious juices which you can spoon over your completed meal.