Dinner with friends

The rather blurry photos in the moblog entry below were from dinner last weekend where some friends cme over.  These were friends I either haven’t cooked fo at all or have only done so on occasion, and I wanted to serve something really nice.  I debated for most of the week, until Saturday when I decided I wanted to do my friend Dave’s Firehouse Chicken recipe.  It’s chiken that’s been flattened and rolled with mushrooms, spinach and feta cheese, breaded, quick fried to brown it and then baked to melt the cheese.  That is then topped with a port wine sauce.  I knew someone was bringing a salad and another the veggies, so I didn’t need to do anything with those really, so we needed a dessert.  I decided on the GF brownies that you see below.  They were a hit, considering that plate was full and they were gone by the end of the night.

So here is the recipe for Dave’s Firehouse Chicken.  Quantities can vary, so there isn’t much in the way of measurements, and that’s the beauty of this one.  You can just play with it and and get creative.  The port wine sauce can be done in several ways.  You can do it a bit more savory and ad onions and mushrooms or like I did, which was a bit sweeter and add some sugar to it.

Dave’s Firehouse Chicken

4 bonesless skinless breasts of chicken, pounded to about 1/2” (1 cm) or so.

1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms, or whatever your favorite mushrooms are

1 10 oz bag d pre-washed spinach

1 block goat/sheep Feta cheese (soy or rice cheese would probably work here, just bump up the spices used)

GF cornflake crumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper and whatever else you’d like

about 1/4 cup GF flour

enough oil to fill the bottom of a skillet for frying


1 egg or the equivalent egg substitute for 2 eggs

toothpicks (just in case)

smoked paprika (or just regular paprika)

salt

pepper

garlic powder (or onion, or whatever strikes your fancy at that moment)

Saute the mushrooms in a bit of oil until soft, add the spinach and wilt.  While this is happening, grate the feta cheese into a bowl or a small plate.  Once the spinach is wilted, place the mixture into a strainer to get rid of any water that may have been produced from the mushrooms or the spinach.  Let sit until cool enough to handle. 

Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, paprik and whatever other seasoning you are using, and then place the cheese and the spinach mushroom mixture on the chicken.  Roll the chicken tightly and secure with toothpicks if necessary.  Roll up the others in the same fashion.  Put them on a plate and refrigerate for about an hour.  This will help firm them up so they don’t fall apart during the breading and the frying.

Start heating the oil for frying the chicken.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Dredge the chicken in the GF flour.  Then dip the chicken in the egg wash, making sure to cover all sides.  Roll in the seasoned cornflakes until coated, then place in heated oil and fry on all sides just til they look golden brown.  Place on a cookie sheet and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted and the chicken is cooked through.

Port Wine Sauce

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup port

salt

pepper

up to 1/4 cup of brown sugar (for the sweet version)

a couple Tablespoons chopped onions and mushrooms (for the savory version)

Heat up the chicken stock in a small saucepan.  Add the port, salt, pepper and whatever remaining ingredients you are using.  Bring to a boil and let reduce to about half.  Serve over the chicken.