Spinach Chicken Roulade with Sweet Pumpkin Sauce

Spinach Chicken Roulade with Sweet Pumpkin Sauce

(serving 2)

-1 whole chicken breast (no bones)

-2 slices of bacon

-8 oz frozen spinach (thawed)

-8 oz or so of sweet pumpkin
-few sprigs of asapragus

-vegetable stock

-heavy cream

-minced garlic

-salt and pepper

1)      Cut the sweet pumpkin in wedges. Be careful while cutting. Very tough cutting through the pumpkin. You may cook the whole thing and just snack on the rest. We only need about 8 oz for this recipe. Put the wedges in a microwave safe bowl. Add ¼ cup of water. Cover and microwave on high for 5-6 minutes. Check with a fork. When cooked, remove and set aside.

2)      Squeeze spinach dry of access liquid and stir fry in medium heat. Season with garlic, salt and pepper. Let it rest until room temperature.

3)      Filet the chicken in half. Put one filet between clear plastic wrap and pound flat. You may use rolling pin, meat tenderizer, mallet… etc.. ¼ inch thin.

4)      Removed one flat filet from the plastic wrap and lay down flat. Salt and pepper the chicken. Squeeze out excess liquid from the cooked spinach again and add half evenly on top of the filet. Roll from one end to the other, tucking in the sides to an even roll. Wrap around the bacon. Repeat with second piece.

5)      Pre-heat the oven at 375F.

6)      Puree about 8 oz of the pumpkin skin removed. Add vegetable stock to thin it down. Hold aside.

7)      Add oil to a high heat pan. Place both rolled chicken pieces with bacon ends down first. Roll to get even golden bacon color on all ends. Remove from pan and place in an oven safe pan and into the oven it goes. It will take approx. 15-20 minutes.

8)      In that same pan add the pumpkin and vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add heavy cream to thicken the sauce and Whisk away!! Run it through a strainer and set aside. Sauce is ready!

9)      Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Cut the asparagus in spears. Add salt to the boiling water and cook the asparagus. 3-4 minutes.

10)  Remove the chicken from the oven and cover with foil. Let it stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Place sauce on the bottom of the plate and place the roulades on top using asparagus as a side garnish.

11)  Enjoy!