Chicken Roulade and Risotto for Valentine’s Day Dinner

Feb 14 2009

Chicken Roulade and Risotto for Valentine’s Day Dinner

Published by thefoodaddicts at 4:42 pm under Cooking at Home

I wouldn’t say that Valentine’s Day is a big deal for us, but in the spirit of the “day of love,” we figured we might as well cook something nice. We celebrated last night, as we will be busy on V-day. The origin of the dish we made goes wayyy back to one of our first dates, over 3 years ago. Daniel wanted to impress me with his culinary skills, so he cooked me Chicken Roulade and Risotto. I guess you can say that I was a little impressed, hehe. In any case, I wanted him to remake the classic dish for me! It was great walking down memory lane…

To make the roulade, you need to flatten the chicken breast by pounding it with a mallet. Be sure to put plastic wrap on top.

To make the roulade, you need to flatten the chicken breast by pounding it with a mallet. Be sure to put plastic wrap on the bottom so it doesn't stick to the cutting board, and also on top so that it doesn't splatter everywhere.

In a skillet, combine mushrooms (here we used crimini), bell peppers, shallots, and butter, then saute over medium heat.

Season the chicken breast with salt & pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Add some of the sauteed mushrooms and bell peppers on the chicken breast, and roll tightly.

Secure the chicken with butcher's twine, making sure none of the stuffing will fall out. Season the outside with the same as above, then sear chicken for about 2-3 minutes on each side over high heat. Then, put in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

Meanwhile, prepare the risotto. Slowly combine chicken stock to cook the rice and stir often. (Risotto is very high maintenance and you always have to keep an eye on it). Add desired ingredients - we used the leftover mushroom & bell pepper, and added parsley and grated parimigiano reggiano to make it creamy.

Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Add more cheese on top, some vegetables on the side, and wah-lah, dinner is served.

Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Add more cheese on top, some vegetables on the side, and wah-lah, the romantic dinner is served.

Happy Valentine's Day! Cheers!

I managed to dig up a picture I took of Daniel that day he cooked for me, many many moons ago. Unlike last night, he had prepared everything by himself and I just watched.