Mozarella, Basil and Sundried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Parma Ham and Baked Olive Caper Orzo
A lovely comforting dish perfect for a Sunday night which the whole family will love. Stuffing the chicken with oozing mozzarella, basil leaves and sundried tomato ensures they are packed with flavour, while wrapping them in parma ham which becomes crispy as it bakes add a salty hit. Cooking the chicken on top of the orzo also means all the delicious chickeny juices soak into the pasta making it extra delicious. Sweet cherry tomatoes, zesty lemon, salty olives, capers and anchovies means the orzo really packs a flavour punch and with plenty of Parmesan, you just can’t really go wrong.
(Serves 4 - £4.56 per serving)
1. First, prepare your chicken breasts by slicing into the thickest part of the breast and opening it out slightly to form a pocket. Season inside the pocket and add some basil leaves, sundried tomatoes and sliced mozzarella before closing them again.
2. Pan fry the chicken breasts in a large casserole dish on each side until golden. Set aside.
3. In the same pot, fry a chopped red onion in 1 tbsp of anchovy oil until soft and golden. Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and 4 anchovies. Stir for a few minutes before adding 250g of orzo. Toast the pasta for a few minutes over a medium heat before adding 250g whole cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp capers and a large handful of chopped kalamata olives. Add the juice of a lemon and 400ml hot chicken stock.
4. Stir well and bring to a simmer before topping with the chicken breasts. Put the lid on the casserole dish and bake for 15 mins at 180C fan or 200C.
5. After 15 minutes, remove the lid, top each breast with two slices of parma ham and return to the oven uncovered for 10-15 more minutes until the pasta is cooked and has absorbed the liquid and the parma ham is crispy. You can give the pasta a stir to make sure it’s not sticking.
6. Leave the chicken to rest covered in foil while you finish the orzo by adding 200g spinach, 75g grated parmesan and some seasoning to taste. Add any chicken resting juices, some chopped basil and a splash more liquid if it needs it.
7. Serve the chicken on top of the pasta with a generous grating of parmesan, some toasted pine nuts and a drizzle of pesto if desired.