Julienne Vegetable-Stuffed Chicken with Ginger-Hoisin Sauce

The chicken wasn't water logged but it was tasteless unless you put a ton of the sauce on it. The technique wasn't simple and it was easy for the chicken to fall apart (and it looked like chicken in a condom). I ended up eating the plain rice we had a side dish because it had more taste.

Julienne Vegetable-Stuffed Chicken with Ginger-Hoisin Sauce

Serve this dish with sesame noodles, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed breast half and about 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

Chicken:
1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups matchstick-cut carrot
2 cups matchstick-cut zucchini
1 cup red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 quarts water

Sauce:
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons honey
5 teaspoons hoisin sauce

To prepare chicken, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 15 seconds. Add carrot, zucchini, and bell pepper; sauté 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add soy sauce and hoisin sauce; sauté 30 seconds. Place carrot mixture in a bowl; cool 5 minutes. Stir in panko.

Slice each breast half lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side. Open halves, laying breast flat. Place each breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.

Divide carrot mixture into 4 equal portions; spoon each portion down center of each breast half, leaving a 1/2-inch border at each end. Fold breast sides over filling.

Place a 2-foot-long sheet of heavy-duty plastic wrap on a work surface with 1 long side hanging over the counter's edge 2 inches. Place a stuffed breast half, seam side down, on the end farthest from you; tightly roll the chicken toward you, jelly-roll fashion. Twist the ends in opposite directions to form a cylinder. Tie plastic wrap in tight knots against the chicken on each end. Trim off excess wrap close to the knot. Place a second 2-foot-long sheet of heavy-duty plastic wrap on the work surface; place rolled chicken on wrap, and repeat procedure. Repeat with remaining chicken breast halves.

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot; add chicken. Simmer 15 minutes (do not boil), turning occasionally. Remove from water, and let stand 10 minutes before unwrapping and cutting into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

To prepare sauce, combine onions and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Serve with chicken.

CALORIES 289 (14% from fat); FAT 4.5g (sat 0.9g,mono 1.3g,poly 1.4g); IRON 1.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 99mg; CALCIUM 46mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.7g; SODIUM 638mg; PROTEIN 42g; FIBER 2.4g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2006