Two chicken breast and four hungry people to feed.
Luckily the chicken breasts were large ones, so I felt I could conjure up a meal for four without resorting to the supermarket dash after a day in the garden, hedge trimming and tidying up. My back is tired – I couldn’t face Sainsco’s or Tescrose or even Waitburys.
Stuffed Chicken Breasts – with left overs.
Serves four.
Have a good look in the fridge. Extract those things which could be useful and place on the side.
Engage ‘thinking on feet’ mode.
Halve the two chicken breasts so there are four pieces. Carve into each piece so that there’s a pocket to stuff. Trim off the yucky bits and give them to the cat / dog
In the ancient Magimix (26 years old – an engagement present) put the rest of the loaf (minus the crusts) that was largely decimated at lunchtime… (the loaf you made this morning with lots of seeds sunflower, sesame, linseed and poppy) in the bread maker (a gift from an aunt when your own old one died).
Whiz the bread. Then throw in a chopped onion and a few bits of rosemary (from the bush you trimmed this morning) and a teaspoon of basil (under ‘b’ in the spice and herb rack) with plenty of pepper (freshly ground) and a little salt – oh, and look there’s half a chilli, unused: add it. A little zested lemon rind would be good, but you’re fresh out of lemons. Add an egg and whiz a little more. Stuffing’s made.
Stuff each chicken piece with a little of the home-made stuffing and then wrap each piece in a couple of pieces of bacon and lay in the dish. Use up the rest of the stuffing to make four small stuffing balls, and artistically arrange tomatoes into the spaces. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Pop into the oven at about 180c for 15 mins, then for 15 minutes more as the new potatoes cook and another few minutes as the sweet corn on the cob cooks. Et voila.
You could always make a gravy using the juices to pour over the top. Enjoy with a glass of vino.
Here it is uncooked.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Hi Pseu, I don’t cook, do gardening, play rugby, have a degree and there is no study in the house. There’s nothing for me to talk about.
Cue violins from the Simon Bates programme Our Tune.
di-ni-ni-niii, ni-ni-niii
There is something very satisfying about inventing meals from what you have to hand, although it is a while since I’ve done this to feed the family.
I miss it, actually.
I’ve never cooked any other way!
1st wander round garden for veg.
2. peer in fridge for potential victims
3. resort to freezer to find something that goes with 1& 2!
It helps if you don’t live near shops!
Mr Royal, I don’t have a degree either, so we’re n this together, Anyway you amooze me despite all your failings…. your story telling, your wacky sense of humour. Don’t be hard on yourself.
Ara, it is satisfying… and like Christina I often do this type of cooking.