February 2, 2011

Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca with Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta

I had almost completely forgotten about this dinner, until I checked my camera. I am so glad I don't erase my food photos until I upload them to my blog. Otherwise, there would be a whole lot of meals that I would neglect to post due to my faulty memory. Anyway, this was a fantastic Sunday night dinner that did not take a whole lot of effort. The polenta was especially fantastic and paired well with the chicken and sauce. I really need to include polenta more in our menu, because we really love it. I must say this goat cheese version was our favorite. Yum!

Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca
From: Sandy Gluck, Cooking Light magazine, JANUARY 2011

Ingredients:
4(4-ounce)chicken cutlets
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 fresh sage leaves
2 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 8 thin strips
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/3 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions:
Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Place 3 sage leaves on each cutlet; wrap 2 prosciutto slices around each cutlet, securing sage leaves in place.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Combine broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture and the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil to pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cutlet and 2 tablespoons sauce)
Calories:202
Fat:7.5g (sat 1.5g,mono 4.3g,poly 0.9g)
Protein:30.5g
Carbohydrate:2.3g
Fiber:0.2g
Cholesterol:77mg
Iron:1.1mg
Sodium:560mg
Calcium:18mg

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Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta
From: The Pioneer Woman website

Ingredients:
1 cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
4 ounces, weight Goat Cheese

Directions:
Bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil.

Add cornmeal to the water in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes, adding salt and extra tablespoons of water as needed.

When polenta is done, stir in butter and goat cheese. Check seasonings, and add salt to taste.



The Result:
As I said, both recipes were pretty darn great. The highlight of our meal was to watch our baby girls eat the polenta. They got it absolutely everywhere; it was hilarious! Seriously--in hair, ears, on the back of the neck, down the clothing, hidden in the high chairs, smeared on faces, crusted on hands--just everywhere. I don't know why it is so amusing to watch our babies make a total mess of their dinner, but it is entertaining nonetheless. Thanks to my two favorite resources, PW and Cooking Light, I will have fond memories of these yummy dishes.

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