Chicken Stuffed With Mushroom Served With Spinach Rissoto : Part one : The chicken

I love cooking with chicken, even though back home here in Maldives it's a bit difficult to get some fresh chicken, we use frozen chicken and I have to say the taste is so different.  I usually buy a whole chicken, thaw it in the fridge, then joint it, place it in zip lock bags and store it in the meat compartment of the fridge, or the shelf closest to the freezer and use it up within a week. 
I recently got some lovely button mushrooms from a good supermarket here in Maldives and decided to stuff them inside the chicken breast as I once did early with my Pesto Stuffed chicken.  I wanted to serve it with creamed spinach but decided to try and make a risotto ( my first time making one!!).

The chicken turned out beautiful, my hubby went crazy over it. The risotto, well it was ok since I never had an authentic one.

I will be posting one recipe at a time to make it easier, Don't worry will be posting the risotto recipe very soon! So come back soon!!

Recipe: Chicken stuffed with mushrooms

2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless.
3-4  large button mushrooms
1/2 large onion or 1 small onion or shallot
1 fat clove of garlic
2 tbsp cream
flour for dusting
1 egg beaten
1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped ( optional)
breadcrumbs ( dried )
2 tbsp butter
a little olive oil or vegetable oil

1. Butterfly the chicken by slicing through the thicker part of the chicken breast but not going completely through. Place it between two sheets of cling film and pound with the help of a heavy frying pan or meat mallet, till it is flattened. Season with a tiny bit of salt. Set aside

2. To prepare the filling, place the onion, garlic and mushrooms inside the food processor and chop them up. This is easier, you can chop them fine using a knife. 

3. Heat a frying pan with 1 tbsp of butter and a little drizzle of olive oil.  Add the mushroom mixture and saute till it goes limp and soft. Season with salt and pepper and parsley.  Finally, stir in cream.
Let it cool.

4. Place your chicken piece on a plate, take about 1-2 tbsp of the mushroom mixture, pile it in a sausage shape in the middle of the chicken, and bring in the sides so the whole mixture is covered neatly with the chicken. ( sorry no pics ), secure with a toothpick or two. Place in fridge to firm a little. Remove the toothpicks carefully.

5. Dust the chicken parcels with  flour, dip in  egg, then roll in breadcrumbs( season your breadcrumbs with salt, pepper and maybe a little dried thyme)

6. Heat a large frying pan, ( use a cast iron frying pan if you have one or one that doesn't have a wooden sort of handle) with remaining butter and a little oil. Place the chicken parcels inside and sear them on all sides till golden.

7. Once seared, place inside a moderately hot oven, about gas mark 5, to cook it through, about 20 minutes.  Remove, let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.