Polly Tyrer - Chicken Breast Stuffed with Red Peppers and Cheese

Serves 4

These chicken breasts are an ideal supper served with a leafy green salad or can be served cold and sliced as part of a smart summer’s picnic

4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts

12 Pepperdew marinated red peppers (found amongst the pickles)

1 x 35g mini tub light Philadelphia cream cheese
8 slices Parma Ham

salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Salsa Verde:

2 teaspoons capers

½ teaspoon rosemary or sage leaves

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley or chervil

1 spring onion, trimmed and finely chopped

2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pre heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/ gas mark 6. Trim the chicken breast and slice into the thick part of the breast. Season with salt and pepper.
Chop the peppers and mix together with the cream cheese. Divide the mixture into 4 and stuff each quarter inside a chicken breast.
Fold the breast meat over to enclose the stuffing and wrap each breast in 2 slices of Parma Ham.
Set the chicken breasts on a shallow baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife.
To make the salsa Verde: very finely chop the capers and herbs. Put the mustard and vinegar into a bowl and whisk together. Gradually whisk in the oil. Stir in the herbs, capers and spring onion. Season with a little salt and pepper.
To serve hot: slice the chicken on the diagonal, arrange on individual plates and pour over the pan juices and hand the salsa Verde separately.

To serve cold: allow the chicken to cool completely. Slice on the diagonal and arrange in overlapping layers on a serving plate. Serve the salsa Verde on the side.