Chicken Bundles with Roasted Asparagus and Rice Pilaf

Another meal to add to your top 10 favorites... I love pan frying the chicken bundles before finishing them in the oven. The result is a toasted, buttery and seasoned bread crumb layer that perfectly melds with a Swiss cheese tender chicken center. The green pepper and onion rice pilaf and roasted asparagus were the perfect complements to this delicious dinner.

Chicken Bundles

2 Chicken breast-butterflied and pounded thin

4 Pieces of Swiss cheese-if you are not a fan of Swiss, Monterey jack would be a nice substitute

Seasoned bread crumbs-you can use premade or make your own, see recipe below

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Seasoned Bread Crumbs

3/4 cup panko

1 piece of whole wheat bread toasted and crumbled

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

A few dashes of black pepper

Combine all ingredients for seasoned breadcrumbs

Combine milk and egg in a shallow dish. Place 1/2 piece of cheese in center of pounded chicken breast and roll longwise up. Secure with a toothpick. Dip chicken bundle in egg mixture and then coat in breadcrumbs.

In a skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Brown chicken bundles, rotating to ensure evenness. Transfer bundles to an oven safe dish and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink.

Swiss Cheese Sauce

1 T flour

1T butter

3/4 cup milk

1 slice Swiss cheese

Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat, add flour and continue stirring for about 30 seconds. Slowly add in milk and stir until thickened. Reduce heat to low and add cheese stirring until melted. Pour sauce over baked chicken.

Rice Pilaf

3 cups uncooked white rice

2 T butter

1/3 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped white onion

2 chicken bouillon cubs

4 1/2 water

In a 2 quart pan combine rice, onion, pepper and onion. Sauté mixture for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add water and bouillon cubes and bring rice mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover, simmering on low for 15 minutes.

Roasted Asparagus

1 lb. asparagus

2 T olive oil

1/4 t garlic powder

1/4 t black pepper

1/2 t Italian seasoning

Wash and trim ends from asparagus. Spread asparagus in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle the garlic powder, pepper and Italian seasonings over the asparagus. Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes or until asparagus is crisp tender. Flip asparagus half-way through cooking.