Italian Chicken Parcels Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put a baking tray in to heat.
• Grind together the oil, basil and pine nuts in a pestle and mortar to make a rough pesto. If you don't have a pestle and mortar, chop the basil and nuts very finely and mix with the oil. Season.
• Put the chicken, tomatoes and mozzarella in a bowl and stir in the pesto. Season well.
• Pile up the filo pastry on a board, then cut in half to make two squares (each with four pastry layers). Set one pile aside and with the other pile, twist each sheet around slightly to make a star outline.
• Spoon half the mixture on to one of the piles of pastry. Brush a little melted butter around the base, then gather up the outsides and scrunch them together. Brush half the remaining butter over the top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make another filo parcel.
• Transfer the parcels to the preheated baking tray and bake in the oven for about 25 mins until golden. Serve with green vegetables or salad.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C Fan/gas 7. Cut a slit halfway in each chicken breast, then put each one between two pieces of baking parchment and bash with a rolling pin to flatten slightly.
• Cut your sheet of pastry in half widthways and put both halves on a baking tray. Sit a chicken breast on top of each half, then cram the cavities with the Boursin (don't worry if a bit of cheese oozes out). Season, scatter over the lemon zest then fold the edges of the pastry in to the centre and pinch shut. Flip each parcel over so the seal is on the bottom. Brush with a little oil, then bake for 30 mins until deep golden.
• About 10 mins before your parcels are ready, steam or boil the greens until tender. Toss in the oil and season. Serve alongside your chicken parcels with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Steps:

• To Marinate: Pour salad dressing into a large, resealable plastic bag. Add chicken breasts, seal bag and shake to coat. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight (the longer you marinate, the more taste the chicken will absorb).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Remove chicken from bag, discarding remaining marinade. Place chicken in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Note: Turn chicken occasionally while baking.