Ingredients
4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
48 green beans (enough to fill your chicken bundles)
2 large red bell peppers, cut into about 30 strips the size of the green beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup cream
Directions
Halve each of the four chicken breasts horizontally, making a total of eight cutlets. If you need it, ask a grown-up helpber (GH) for help to carefully cut the chicken breasts. Place each cutlet in an individual sealable plastic freezer bag with a slider tab and pound them into thin cutlets, 1/8-inch thick.
Note: Some markets sell “thin cut” chicken for a premium price, but with a sharp knife, cutting the chicken breasts yourself is easy, so why not save yourself some money?! If you make extra and add a tablespoon of water to each bag, you can freeze them for future use! Each portion will thaw in minutes and be ready to use for dinner any night of the week.
Arrange the cutlets on your work surface. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper on one side, then lay about 6-7 green beans and 4-5 red pepper strips in the center, with the ends sticking out. Fold the bottom half of the chicken up around the bundle, then roll the two ends around so it looks like a little package with green beans and red pepper sticking out. Season the outside of the chicken with salt and ground black pepper. In a large, nonstick skillet with two turns of the pan of EVOO over medium-high heat, cook the stuffed cutlets seam side-down. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, then turn them over to brown the other side. Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and reserve. To the pan, add the saffron and ginger, then pour in the chicken stock and bring up to a bubble. Stir in the cream and heat through.
Serve the chicken blooms topped with some of the cream sauce and Brown Rice Pilaf alongside. This is one of many "Yum-o!" recipes – it's good and good for you. To find out more about Yum-o!, Rachael's nonprofit organization, go to www.yum-o.org.