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Chicken with asparagus and rice

By: Simon Rimmer

Published: 31 May 08
Updated: 18 Mar 24

The British asparagus season is short, so make the most of the seasonal ingredient in Simon Rimmer’s stuffed chicken recipe, served with a creamy tomato sauce.

Easy
June 2008

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands on time 40-45 mins

The British asparagus season is short, so make the most of the seasonal ingredient in Simon Rimmer’s stuffed chicken recipe, served with a creamy tomato sauce.

Gluten-free recipes

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 779kcals
Fat: 43g (16.3g saturated)
Protein: 41.3g
Carbohydrates: 56g (5g sugars)
Salt: 0.5g

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Ingredients

225g asparagus spears, woody stems snapped off
4 free-range chicken breasts, skin on
50ml double cream
2 tbsp olive oil
250g basmati and wild rice

For the sauce

400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tsp roughly chopped fresh oregano leaves
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
100g mascarpone

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Method

For the sauce, put all the ingredients, except for the mascarpone, into a pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Blend in a food processor and pass through a sieve into a clean pan, stir through the mascarpone and season to taste.
Meanwhile, cook the asparagus tips in a small pan of boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, until just tender. Drain and set aside. Prepare the chicken by pulling off the little tail fillet and cutting horizontally through the chicken to make a pocket. Sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper.
Chop the asparagus and place in a food processor along with the chicken tail fillets, cream and seasoning. Blend until smooth. Divide between the 4 breasts and pack into the pockets, using a teaspoon. When filled secure each chicken breast together with cocktail sticks.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the chicken, skin-side down for 8 minutes, until golden, then turn over and cook for a further 8 minutes, until the chicken and stuffing are cooked through.
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the rice according to the pack instructions. Warm through the tomato sauce, divide the rice between plates and place the chicken breasts on top. Pour over the sauce to serve.