Chicken Roulades With Apricot Stuffing & Apricot Nectar

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup peppridge farms stuffing cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaf, chopped fine
• 2 ounces dried apricots, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons raisins, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon unsalted margarine
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup apricot nectar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, see directions
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry wine
• 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot

Recipe

• 1 in a 10 inch skillet, cook onion, celery and basil in the margarine over moderate heat 5 minutes, until onion is softened
• 2 stir in apricots, raisins and 1/4 cup broth and cook until almost all liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes
• 3 add mixture to bread cubes with salt and pepper to taste and toss until combined well
• 4 let stuffing cool
• 5 stuffing may be made a day ahead and refrigerated
• 6 in a measuring cup, whisk together the apricot nectar, mustard and remaining cup of broth, and reserve
• 7 gently pound chicken breasts 1 at a time, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until about 1/4 inch thick, trying not to make any holes in them
• 8 discard plastic and season chicken with salt and pepper
• 9 spoon stuffing down a long side of each cutlet, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the edge
• 10 roll up cutlets tightly to enclose stuffing, and secure top and seams, openings at both ends and any holes with wooden toothpicks
• 11 put cormeal with salt and pepper to taste in a shallow bowl and coat roulades evenly in mixture
• 12 in cleaned skillet heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and brown roulades 3 minutes
• 13 arrange roulades in one layer in an 8-inch square glass baking dish
• 14 deglaze skillet with wine over moderate heat, scraping up any brown bits, and add to baking dish
• 15 pour reserved nectar mixture around (not on top of) roulades in baking dish
• 16 cover dish tightly with foil and braise roulades in the middle of the oven 30 minutes, or until just cooked through
• 17 transfer roulades to a cutting board and carefully remove toothpicks
• 18 transfer liquid in baking dish to a small saucepan and boil until reduced to about 1 cup
• 19 remove from heat and whisk in arrowroot and salt and pepper to taste
• 20 cut roulades diagonally into 1/4 inch thick slices and spoon sauce over top