Cajun Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I Created this dish at my restaurant in Baton Rouge LA in the late seventies as a Chef’s Special for saturday night and it became very popular so we decided to add it to the menu. If you like Cajun food that’s not overly spiced you’ll love this dish.  

Ingredients:

4 whole chicken breasts – medium size

1 lb chopped raw crawfish (cooked is ok if you must) OR 1 lb 51/60 cleaned and chopped raw shrimp (cooked can also be used)

2 cups par cooked long grain rice (Uncle Bens will work)

2 medium shallots, minced

5 or 6 large mushrooms chopped (about 2/3 cup)

1 small garlic bulb, roasted (roasting method below)

kosher or sea salt

cayenne pepper

fresh ground black pepper

2 T. fresh parsley finely chopped

1/4 C. white wine or dry sherry

deep fat fryer or 2 inches of vegetable oil in cast iron skillet

2 T. olive oil

1 T. unsalted butter (not melted)

** Prepared tarragon lime cream sauce

Batter:

2 eggs

2 C. + 1/2 C. all purpose flour

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

2/3 C. milk

Mix all ingredients together, except the 2 C. flour, in a medium bowl adding the milk until the batter is the consistency of a thick pancake batter.  The 2 C. flour are to be used for dredging the battered chicken.

Preparation:

*Cut the top off the garlic bulb and cover all put the cut top with foil and dribble with olive oil. Roast at 350° until soft but not burnt. Squeeze out the cloves of garlic into a small bowl, holding back two of the cloves for the cream sauce.  To the remainder of the garlic cloves add 1 T. olive oil and mash into a smooth paste. Set aside.

** Tarragon Lime Cream Sauce:

2 T. unsalted butter

1 t. dried tarragon

1/8 C. dry sherry

1/8 C. fresh lime juice

2 cloves roasted garlic

1 T. flour

1/2 C. heavy cream

1/2 C. whole milk

1 T. fresh parsley flakes

 

Method:

In a small saucepan, melt the butter then sauté the tarragon and garlic on med-low heat for 1 minute. Add the flour and whisk until flour starts to turn brown, then slowly add sherry and lime juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cream, milk and parsley and stir until thickened. Keep warm on stove until needed then poor in and “X” over

Chicken.

 

Place the whole chicken breasts, rib side up, on a sheet of plastic wrap, cover each with an additional sheet of wrap and pound with a wooden mallet until approx. 1/4 inch thick. Smear each breast with roasted garlic paste* and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.  Place the breasts, seasoned side up in a single layer, into a covered container and refrigerate till needed.

 

In a med sauté pan or wok stir-fry the shallots, mushrooms, shrimp or crawfish (if using pre cooked shrimp or crawfish wait to add them until you add the rice) in 2 T. olive oil seasoned with sea salt and cayenne pepper on med heat for 2 minutes.  Add white wine or dry sherry and cook for 2 more minutes. Lower heat to med-low stir in rice and parsley, cover and cook for 2 more minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temp. (You may hurry the process in the frig or freezer but do not let freeze).

Place the breasts on a clean flat surface and spoon about 1/2 C. of crawfish or shrimp stuffing in the bottom center of the pounded breast and fold in the sides and roll up the bottom of the breast to meet the top. (As you would Chicken Cordon Bleu.) Place the breasts fold side down on a cookie sheet and place in freezer for approximately 30 minutes to seal the wrap.  Roll in flour, then batter, then back into flour and place back on cookie sheet and chill for 10 minutes before placing into the fryer or skillet. (This will help prevent crust from falling off.) Cook until golden brown, place on rack in baking pan, then place in 350° oven for 10 to 15 minutes to finish cooking the chicken. Sauce and serve with fresh steamed asparagus or fresh green beans.

 

 

  

 

 

 

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