Roast chicken breasts, stuffed with asiago cheese and prosciutto, are served with a flavorful arugula salad tossed with roasted potato, fennel and red onion, with both fresh and dried cherries in a cinnamon and clove-spiced vinaigrette. Recipe by Chef Cory Schreiber.

Stuffed Roast Chicken with Asiago, Fennel, Prosciutto and Cherries

Chicken Breasts:
6 boneless chicken breasts (6 to 7 ounces each)
Salt and ground black pepper
2 ounces Wisconsin Asiago cheese, thinly sliced
6 ounces proscuitto, thinly sliced
Olive oil

 

Potato Arugula Salad:
6 yellow Finn (or other thin-skinned) potatoes, cut into sixths
2 fennel bulbs, cored, trimmed, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 red onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup olive oil - divided use
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons dried cherries, finely chopped

 

For Assembly:

1 bunch arugula or watercress
6 ounces fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted
2 ounces Aged Wisconsin Asiago cheese, shaved

1. For Chicken Breasts: Pound chicken breasts, skin side down, to 1/4 inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Top each with slice of Asiago cheese and proscuitto. Fold chicken breasts in half. Secure with wooden picks to enclose filling.
2. Brown in hot oil, skin side down, over medium high heat. Transfer to baking pan, skin side up. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes or until done. Remove wooden picks.
3. For Potato Arugula Salad: In baking dish, toss potatoes, fennel and onion with 1/4 cup oil to coat; season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 375°F (190°C) for 45 minutes, or until tender.
4. Meanwhile, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, cinnamon, cloves and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in dried cherries. Let stand 30 minutes to blend flavors.
5. To Assemble: Toss hot potato mixture with arugula, cherries and salad dressing. Place on serving plate. Place chicken breast next to salad. Top all with Asiago cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Variations:

• Mexicali: Instead of Proscuitto, use sliced smoked ham. For the cheese, use sliced Wisconsin Cheddar with Salsa. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Grill and serve with salsa.
• Midscale: Instead of Proscuitto, use bacon slices. For the cheese, use crumbled Wisconsin Blue. Bake and serve with potato salad.
• Midscale: For the cheese, use thin-sliced Wisconsin Swiss cheese. Instead of Proscuitto, use ham.
• Italiano: Fill the chicken breast with a mixture of Parma Ham, walnuts and a blend of Wisconsin Gorgonzola and Mascarpone cheeses. Roast and slice; serve over wild greens with orange sections and dried cherries.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.