Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Breasts with Eggplant Panzanella and Raisin-Pine Nut Vinaigrette

As you know, I have tried to dedicate my Saturday night dinners for my challenge night and really expand my horizons.  I found this Bon Appetit recipe during one of my "rabbit hole adventures online".

It looked easy enough.  Chicken breasts wrapped in prosciutto, seared in pan and baked off and some chopped eggplant.  Super easy right?

Well, I had all my ingredients and after a long Saturday of errands, chores, etc. I started dinner.  Well, I started to start the dinner.  I should have taken the time earlier to thoroughly read everything involved with this recipe.  All steps considered, this was easily going to take me 3 hours to effectively attempt a brand new dinner like this.....I then picked up my phone and called our local, favorite brick oven pizza restaurant for delivery.

Fast forward... so the next Saturday, I was fully prepared for what I was heading into and it was a huge success!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  Cheers!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Breasts with Eggplant Panzanella and Raisin-Pine Nut Vinaigrette

Courtesy of Bon Appetit

Raisin-Pine Nut Vinaigrette

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup hot water

1 Tbl plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/3 cup finely chopped shallots

1 garlic clove, minced

2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

3 Tbl Sherry wine vinegar

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Chicken

6 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

8 ounces Taleggio cheese, rind trimmed, cheese cut into six (2-inch) long slices

12 thin prosciutto slices

Eggplant Panzanella

1 pound Japanese eggplant, ends trimmed, eggplant cut into 1/2 inch wide rounds

2 Tbl extra virgin oilive oil, divided

1 (16 ounce) baguette

For the Raisin-Pine Nut Vinaigrette:

Combine raisins and 1/2 cup hot water in a small bowl; let soak 15 minutes.  Drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in small skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots, garlic, and anchovy fillets; saute until shallots are tender, about 4 minute.  Transfer to medium bowl.  Mix in raisins and vinegar.  Add 1/2 cup oil; whisk until well blended.  Season with salt and pepper.  DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day in advance.  Cover and chill.  Bring to room temperature before continuing.

*** Whisk pine nuts into vinaigrette just before serving.

For the Chicken:

Place chicken breasts on work surface.  Using sharp knife and starting at the thickest side of 1 chicken breast, cut 2-inch long, 1-inch deep horizontal pocket, being careful not to cut through completely to other side of breast.  Insert 1 piece of cheese in pocket and press opening closed.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  

Place 2 prosciutto slices side by side on work surface, slightly overlapping on long sides.  Place 1 chicken breast crosswise atop center of prosciutto slices; wrap prosciutto slices around chicken, covering completely and pressing to adhere (if necessary, fasten with small turkey skewers).  Repeat with remaining chicken, cheese, and prosciutto.  DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead.  Cover and chill.

For the Eggplant Panzanella:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toss eggplant with 3 tablespoons oil in large bowl.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Spread eggplant slices in single layer on rimmed baking sheet.  Bake until eggplant slices are tender but still intact, 35 to 40 minutes.  Transfer to large bowl.  DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead.  Cover and chill.  Bring to room temperature before using.

Add vinaigrette to eggplant and stir gently to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Let stand while preparing bread and chicken.

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut baguette crosswise into 3 sections.  Using serrated knife, trim off crust on all sides of baguette sections.  Cut each section horizontally in half.  Brush bread halves all over with 2 tablespoons oil; place on rimmed baking sheet.  Bake until bread is slightly crisp and beginning to brown around edges, about 20 minutes.  Let stand while preparing chicken.  Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 large skillets over medium-high heat.  Add 3 chicken breasts to each skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side.  Transfer chicken to large baking sheet; roast in oven until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickets part of chicken registers 160 F, 15 to 20 minutes.  Thinly slice chicken breasts crosswise.  Fan 1 chicken breast on each of 6 plates.  Place 1 bread half alongside.  Top bread with eggplant-Vinaigrette mixture and serve.

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