Chicken cook times.

[Garlick]

I quite like to knock up a stuffed chicken breast, nothing technical just a flattened breast filled with chilli, pesto and blue cheese wrapped in thin Italian ham and cooked.

Sometimes I over cook, sometimes I get it right but it's more luck than judgement. At the moment I give it about 20-25 mins in a fan- assisted oven at 180. Too much? Any suggestions for perfection?

Ta

[captainzep]

Garlick said:

I quite like to knock up a stuffed chicken breast, nothing technical just a flattened breast filled with chilli, pesto and blue cheese wrapped in thin Italian ham and cooked.

Sometimes I over cook, sometimes I get it right but it's more luck than judgement. At the moment I give it about 20-25 mins in a fan- assisted oven at 180. Too much? Any suggestions for perfection?

Ta

Its a tricky one because size of breast, filling, opening the oven to check etc etc, all exert small changes in the required cooking time. But your timings and temp look right to me.

I've taken to wrapping the stuffed meat, be it chicken breast, pork fillet etc in clingfilm, twisting the ends to make it into a tight sausage, chill in the fridge for a while, then poach in a pan of gently boiling water for 15-20 mins. Then remove the clingfilm and finish in a med-hot pan, spooning butter over it and feeling for how firm the meat is as it browns. As with most meat its a good idea to let it rest a bit before slicing.

If the 'done-ness' is absolutely cruicial I'll cut into one (mine) just before I think its done and see how well its cooked. The sacrificial messy one will be mine and everyone else gets a perfect one...

[Mr Roper]

Quite a few suggestions posted recently here......was very tasty

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Asterix]

Something I do if I'm cooking chicken breast, even if its wrapped in panchetta etc... is make a thin, long incision and insert a slither of butter.

Breast can often come out dry as it's very lean.

[Garlick]

Thanks very much, some good tips here.