Spring Roll-Ups
Submitted by solodad
Chicken breasts rolled around tender fiddlehead ferns, breaded and browned, then baked in a glossy sherry-mushroom sauce with bacon and tomatoes. A unique Canadian-inspired spring dinner that celebrates foraged greens.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
45 minREADY
70 minFiddlehead ferns are one of spring’s most fleeting treasures, and wrapping them inside pounded chicken breasts is a brilliant way to make them the star of dinner. About 20 fiddleheads per roll, tucked tight and secured with toothpicks.
The chicken gets an egg wash and a paprika-thyme flour coating before browning in butter until golden. That crispy shell holds up beautifully during the bake, even with a saucy topping poured over it.
The sauce is a quick stir-fry of mushrooms, onions, garlic, and tomatoes deglazed with sherry, then thickened with a cornstarch and broth slurry for a light, glossy glaze. Crumbled bacon scattered over the top adds a smoky crunch that ties the wild and the familiar together.
Pro Tips
- Cook the fiddleheads until fully tender before rolling. Undercooked fiddleheads are tough and can cause stomach upset if not properly prepared.
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness so they roll without cracking or tearing.
- Baste the rolls with pan juices every 10 minutes during baking to keep the coating moist and flavorful.
- If fiddleheads aren’t in season, asparagus spears make the closest substitute.
Ingredients
Directions
Place about 20 fiddleheads on each chicken breast, roll and secure with tooth picks.
Combine flour, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper; mix well and set aside.
In a small bowl beat egg with milk. Dip chicken breast in egg then roll in flour mixture.
Heat butter in skillet and brown chicken rolls until golden.
Transfer chicken rolls to a 3 litre rectangular pan.
Sprinkle bacon pieces over rolls. Heat oil in skillet and stir-fry onion, garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes for 2 minutes Add sherry; simmer 2 minutes longer. Combine cornstarch with chicken broth and add to pan, stirring constantly until ingredients are coated with a light, clear glaze. Pour entire contents of pan over chicken rolls. Cover loosely with foil. Bake in 180 cup oven 30 minutes, basting occasionally with juices in bottom of pan. Cover, bake 15 minutes longer or until chicken is tender.
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