Proscuitto Wrapped Chicken Breast with Asparagus and Pesto Sauce

Proscuitto Wrapped Chicken Breast with Asparagus and Pesto Sauce

Like many I am a "sometimes" addicted follower of Pinterest. I salivate over many photographs of tempting desserts calorie free and am invited into so many talented sites to discover amazing photography and recipe blogs. Like a kid in a candy store I pin happily from their original sites cataloguing recipes to try in the future when time allows. The recipe below really stuck with me. With asparagus at the tail end of its season I felt the urge to head to the kitchen. Never mind that the recipe was in Polish or Russian ...Google translator to the rescue!!!... I had all of the ingredients in my well stocked stores. The recipe comes from this site  where I spy so many seasonal recipes waiting to be translated. I tip my hat to Kwestia Smaku.

Photo from Kwestia Smaku on Pinterest

This dish is a magical pairing of homemade basil pesto, cream, crispy seasonal asparagus, salty proscuitto  and tender chicken breasts. The combination of salty, creamy and crispy is what dreams are made of. At least my dreams. Give it a try before asparagus is finished for  another year!!!

**Proscuitto Wrapped Chicken Breast with Asparagus and Pesto Sauce**

1 large single chicken breast or two smaller, about 400 g
 salt and freshly ground black pepper
 1 tablespoon flour
 4 slices of serrano ham (you can use other dried ham such as Parma ham or thinly sliced ​​lean bacon)
 1 bunch green asparagus
 2 tablespoons olive oil
 4 tablespoons green pesto (bought or home or from the following recipe)
 80 ml of 30% cream
 a half bunch of leaves (pots) of basil
Extras: new potatoes with water (optional) or bread such as baguette

Pesto with basil and nuts:

 a half bunch of leaves (pots) of basil
 1/4 cup walnuts (or cashew or pine)
 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 salt and freshly ground black pepper
 1/2 clove of garlic

Blend all ingredients in a blender.

Prepare the pesto and cook the potatoes (if desired) or bread.

Rinse chicken, drain, slice crosswise into thin fillets (I used two small breasts and every przekroiłam the two thinner fillets). Sprinkle with sea salt (not too much, because the ham is salty), coat with flour and wrap in slices of serrano ham, set aside.

Wash asparagus, snap off woody ends of the light (the same break in the right place). Stems are cut into several pieces. Add to basket steamer or put in a sieve. Strainer basket or hang on a pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes, until asparagus is tender. Immediately transfer the asparagus in cold water and set aside.

In a skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and place chicken breast prepared in ham. Cook for 6 minutes, then transfer to the other side and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the cream, add the pesto and mix gently. Add the asparagus and set aside after boiling from the heat (the sauce should thicken slightly), and season if necessary with salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle with basil leaves and serve with potatoes or bread.

Serves 2

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