Mouth-Watering Chicken Bundles

Name: Mouth-Watering Chicken Bundles
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter; Half small onion finely chopped; 1 garlic clove minced; 2 thin slices prosciutto chopped; 1/2 tsp (2 mL) chopped fresh thyme; 1 tbsp (15 mL) all-purpose flour; 1 cup (250 mL) 35 % cream; 1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lemon rind; Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste; 16 leaves fresh spinach trimmed; 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 small carrot grated; 2 green onions thinly sliced; 8 cherry tomatoes halved; 4 sprigs fresh thyme

This recipe is taken from the 2004 Milk Calendar. An impressive presentation, yet easy to do. The wonderful light and creamy sauce drapes the moist tender chicken and vegetables with flavour. - Christine Cushing

Prep: 25 min
Cooking: 25 min

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
Half small onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove minced
2 thin slices prosciutto chopped
1/2 tsp (2 mL) chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp (15 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) 35 % cream
1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lemon rind
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
16 leaves fresh spinach trimmed
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 small carrot grated
2 green onions thinly sliced
8 cherry tomatoes halved
4 sprigs fresh thyme

READY FOR REWARDS?

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Cut parchment paper or foil to make four 16 x 12 inch (40 x 30 cm) rectangles; set aside.

In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, prosciutto and thyme, stirring, for about 5 min or until onion is softened. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 min. Gradually stir in cream and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Boil gently, stirring often, until reduced by about one-third and sauce is thick. Stir in lemon rind, salt and pepper; set aside and let cool slightly.

Place 4 leaves of spinach in centre of each piece of parchment, overlapping as necessary to make a 4-inch (10 cm) square. Lay out 2 chicken thighs flat, on top of each square of spinach. Sprinkle each evenly with carrot and green onion, then tomatoes. Pour sauce evenly over chicken and vegetables. Top with thyme sprigs. Fold up parchment into package, tucking ends underneath. Place packages in single layer on rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for about 25 min or until packages are puffed. Carefully open one package to make sure chicken is no longer pink inside. Refold and continue cooking if necessary. Place packages on serving plate and open to serve.

Serve roasted red potatoes or rice pilaf on the side.

Tips

To fold packages, take each short end of parchment or foil and bring up to meet in centre over filling, fold together several times to enclose filling, leaving a little space for expansion. Take corners of one end; fold into centre on an angle to make a point (like a present) and tuck underneath (for foil, take point and roll in to centre, pinching edges to seal). Repeat with the other end.