Pecan Chicken Rolls Recipe

Kristin's Kitchen
Tuesday, 02 December 2008



Sometimes, I just want to hit something.

Classes become frustrating after weeks and weeks of assignments, I don’t get enough sleep and my job with demanding customers fills in the gaps. Everyone seems to think my only commitment is to them and to them alone. The work, oh, the work – it never seems to end.

This is a common college problem, especially during the upcoming exam period. Students don’t get much time to themselves, except to sleep or eat, if they can even get that.


I don’t want to hurt anyone else, of course. At times, it is just good to let out some frustration physically. However, one must focus that frustration on an inanimate object of sorts. Aside from a treadmill or an elliptical, punching bags and stress balls are also an option.

Since the stress ball only seems to serve a purpose for minor worries, let’s turn out attention to the punching bag. How many college students can actually use a punching bag living in a dorm or apartment, as it has to be hung from the ceiling? Slim to none.

What about cooking? Some say it is a very relaxing experience. The aroma and touch, the sensations involved, ease tension. For those who would disagree, there may be some aspects of cooking you might be unaware of.

How about vigorously smacking chicken breasts with a meat mallet? It might not sound very interesting, but it certainly releases stress. Plus, the chicken requires a degree of force to get flat and elongated enough to roll.

This recipe greeted my ears for the very first time when my family and I were living in Alabama. My parents were having a dinner party, and they wanted to serve something fairly simple, yet elegant, at the meal.

I heard an extremely loud banging from upstairs in my room. I thought something had fallen off a shelf, but when the sound continued for minutes, I thought my dad was doing construction in the house or something. I had to go to the kitchen to find out what was going on.

It’s interesting how food preparation can create not only a variety of smells, but also very interesting, and sometimes disturbing, sounds.


Pecan Chicken Rolls
One-third cup chopped pecans, toasted
One-half cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
One-half teaspoon pepper
12 fresh spinach leaves
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons dry sherry or milk
Three-quarter cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix, crushed

Directions:
1. Combine chopped pecans and grated parmesan cheese, stirring well; reserve one-quarter cup of the mixture and set aside.

2. Place each chicken breast half between two sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to one-quarter inch thickness with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken with pepper.

3. Arrange two spinach leaves on each chicken piece and sprinkle evenly with remaining pecan mixture.


4. Roll up chicken jellyroll fashion, and secure with wooden picks. Place rolls, seam-side down, in a lightly greased nine-inch square baking dish.


5. Combine soup, sour cream and sherry, and pour over the chicken. Combine stuffing and reserved one-quarter cup pecan mixture. Sprinkle it over the soup mixture.


6. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until chicken is done.

Smacking chicken with a mallet does create a large amount of racket. Make sure to alert your roommates before you start, as they might think something really heavy has fallen on your head. You want to assure them you are perfectly ok.

After a long day of difficult exams, smack the crap out of that meat and feel better afterwards. Savor it not only for the stress reliever, but also for the tender flavor and nutty crunch of chicken drenched in creamy, white sauce. Pair the entrée with some wild rice and steamed vegetables, and you have a colorful and visually appealing array of food.


Source:theapp.appstate.edu