We are thrilled to hear that the Junior League of Denver is publishing another cookbook in celebration for their chapter’s upcoming Centennial. The committees are just beginning to meet, brainstorm, test & taste, and so we thought we’d honor and celebrate with them by sharing a recipe from their latest cookbook success Colorado Classique with some luscious wine pairings by us.
Chicken Wellington
1 sheet of puff pastry (8.6 oz)
4 4-oz chicken breasts
4 Tb butter
4 oz cream cheese
4 garlic cloves
1 10-oz jar of sundried tomatoes, sliced thinly
1 egg, beaten
1/2 Tb. Lemon pepper
Salt & pepper to taste
Flour for handling
Sauce
4 cloves of garlic
3 Tb olive oil
1/2 C. marinated sundried tomatoes, drained & coarsely chopped
1 C. marinated artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
2 C. heavy cream
1 C. freshly grated Parmesan
Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Thaw the puff pasty in the fridge overnight. Flatten chicken breasts to a uniform thickness (¾” -1”).
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, and sear chicken until golden. Do not overcook, as chicken will finish cooking in the oven. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper and set aside.
Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface to about 1/4” thick. Cut into 4 squares.
Place 1/4 of the cream cheese, 1 clove of garlic, 1/4 of the sundried tomatoes, and one chicken breast on each square. Fold the pastry like a package, sealing the edge with the beaten egg. Trim any excess pastry before folding over the ends. Turn over carefully and place on a greased baking sheet.
Brush the top with the remaining beaten egg.
At 350 degrees, bake for 30 minutes until pastry is golden and the internal temperature of the chicken breast is 160 degrees.
Meanwhile, sauté garlic in olive oil in a small saucepan. Add tomatoes and artichokes and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Whisk in Parmesan cheese. Season with salt & pepper and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes until thick, stirring frequently.
Remove pastry from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and arrange on a platter and drizzle with sauce.
