Chicken Royale

This is a dinner-party stuffed chicken that punches well above its weight. Pounded thin, each breast gets a steamed spinach leaf and a wedge of walnut-rolled Boursin before being folded into a tidy mound. The cheese melts into a creamy core during baking, and the walnuts add a textural crunch that holds up against the soft chicken.

Pounding the chicken to a quarter-inch thickness is the technique to nail. It cooks evenly, rolls cleanly around the filling and stays juicy in just 30 minutes. Thicker breasts dry out at the edges before the middle cooks through. Use a heavy mallet or a small skillet, and lay the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap to prevent tearing.

The raspberry-wine sauce is the star. White wine and raspberry vinaigrette reduce together until syrupy, then a swirl of butter or margarine emulsifies the sauce into a glossy finish. The fruity acidity cuts the richness of the Boursin perfectly.

Chef Tips

• Steam the spinach leaves only slightly so they’re pliable but not soggy. Raw leaves tear, overcooked ones leak water into the chicken.
• Secure each rolled breast with a toothpick or kitchen twine if the cheese starts to escape during baking. Remove before serving.
• Reduce the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon. Too thin and it slides off the chicken. Too thick and it turns into jam.

Variations

• Swap Boursin for goat cheese or brie for a different creamy filling.
• Use pecans or chopped pistachios in place of walnuts.
• Replace the raspberry vinaigrette with a balsamic-fig reduction for a deeper, less fruity sauce.