Syn Free Stuffed Chicken Escalope
I’m a big eater and always have been, it’s part of the reason that I gained so much weight in the first place, and as such I’ve never been one for diddy meals and endless salads…especially not for dinner! I think this is one of the reasons that Slimming World is the only plan that has ever really worked for me. This meal is one of my new go to evening dinners, because it’s absolutely mouthwateringly amazing, totally syn free and seriously substantial!
Using both your Healthy Extra B and Healthy Extra A choices, this is a meal that’ll keep you going and satisfy the whole family! It’s also one that they’ll never even realise is healthy which is a big bonus for many people out there. One of the issues that I see time and time again popping up in conversations about Slimming World is the issue of cooking for partners or families when you’re following a healthy eating plan. I can honestly say that in the almost two years since I’ve been doing Slimming World I have never once cooked a separate meal for my other half or my family when I do the cooking!
They eat what I eat because what I eat is normal, hearty, filling and tasty food! You don’t have to cook endless odd meals made with unfamiliar ingredients on Slimming World, you don’t (if you don’t want to) have to cook with health foods… in fact many health foods aren’t even syn free! Instead you’re cooking proper food, which just happens to be healthy.
The trick, I’ve found, is not to offer the Slimming World meals as a different choice, it’s just the food that’s on offer. Of course if someone wants to cook them self something different once I’m done, then they can crack on, but as far as I’m concerned if I’m doing the cooking then it’s a Slimming World meal that’s being made! That’s why meals like this are so brilliant, because who wouldn’t want a delicious tender chicken breast filled with melted cheese and ham and crusted in deliciously seasoned breadcrumbs…!!!
On this occasion I accompanied my stuffed chicken escalope with roasted new potatoes (simply roasted from raw with Fry Light and seasoning) and a big pile of mushrooms and broccoli to put plenty of speed on my plate! It’s very important, when enjoying a big meal like this, to make sure that there is plenty of speed food on your plate. If you’re not sure which fruit and veg are speed you can check out my ‘Speed Food Shopping List‘ to find them all!
As you can see my chicken escalopes is stuffed with ham and mozzarella (your Healthy Extra A), and has been pounded thinly to be wrapped around the fillings and then covered. I have long used a large rolling pin to hammer my chicken flat which I’m the first to admit isn’t the most professional of approaches. This Christmas I was gifted a meat tenderiser so I no longer need to look like some crazy lady attacking the side board with a rolling pin, which is a big relief! You can pick meat tenderisers up from most cookware shops or from Amazon and they’re great for flattening chicken as well as tenderising steaks! They have one side which is ridged, this is to make your meat tender, and one side which is flat which is just to bash the hell out of your food! It’s amazingly satisfying, trust me! Mine is a little bit like this one from Amazon…
I’ve been wanting to make this recipe for a while, because breaded chicken is delicious, however we didn’t have a food processor to make the breadcrumbs with! I have in the past made my Fakeaway KFC Chicken with Smash which I really love but that has an all together different texture and taste than a proper breaded coating. Smash works really well for the KFC chicken because it gives you a much smoother, uniform texture much like batter, whereas breadcrumbs are textured and rough and full of flavour. I love to mix in herbs and spices to my breadcrumbs to give a dish even more flavour and colour! As I say though, I haven’t had a food processor and then stupidly forgot to ask for one for Christmas, how silly was that! You’d think as someone who loves food, let alone a food blogger, I’d be able to get my hands on something so important in food preparation! I ended up jumping on the amazing sales on Amazon and grabbing myself a Kenwood Food Processor for almost half price, which is still on there for just £37! Since getting it a week ago I’ve use it to make this recipe as well as soup, sauce and salsa. I’m not sure why I didn’t get one before, but I’m definitely not getting rid any time soon!
I really can’t recommend this recipe enough if you’re looking for a warm, healthy and syn free dinner! You can’t beat melted cheese for chasing away these cold January days and it’s simply one of the most satisfying recipes I’ve made in recent months! It felt great to tuck into something substantial that wasn’t a big unhealthy Christmas meal and know that I wasn’t going to effect my weight loss. The fact that you can still eat this and lose weight on Slimming World is simply mind boggling, but I’m not complaining!
Serves 2
Delicious breaded chicken escalope stuffed with melted cheese and ham!
20Prep Time
25Cook Time
45Total Time
Ingredients
- 2x Muscle Foods Chicken Breasts
- 4x 120g Wholemeal Bread (2 slices from an 800g loaf, 4 slices from a 400g loaf)
- 1tbsp Mixed Herbs
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
- 4x Slices Ham
- 100g Fresh Mozzarella
- 2x Egg
- Fry Light
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Prepare a baking tray, either sprayed with Fry Light or with a sheet of baking paper.
- Beat your chicken breasts until they are each wide and flat (about half a centimetre - a centimetre thick).
- Layer one side of each with two slices of ham and then 50g of fresh mozzarella each. Wrap the chicken around the fillings so that they are totally encased. Place with the seam down and set aside.
- Toast your bread and allow to cool. Pulse it in a food processor until you have breadcrumbs. I like mine quite chunky but you can continue to pulse for a finer result.
- Mix in the mixed herbs and season with salt & pepper. Tip your breadcrumbs into a wide bowl or plate.
- Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl.
- Dip a chicken breast into the egg and make sure it is covered, remove it and let the excess drip off.
- Then dip it into the breadcrumbs, using a spoon or your fingers to scoop the breadcrumbs over the top and around the sides to ensure it is totally covered. If you've done chunky breadcrumbs like me one layer should suffice, however if you have done fine breadcrumbs you may need to repeat this.
- Repeat with the second chicken breast and place them both on the baking tray.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
- Serve straight away to make sure you get that delicious melted cheese!
Notes
Syn free on Slimming World using your Healthy Extra A and Healthy Extra B. Always check to ensure that the brand/product you are using is officially recognised as a healthy extra. Syn values correct at time of writing. Please do not screenshot the recipe as details may change over time and it is important to ensure that the correct information is shared! I'd love for you to share or save the recipe so please do so using the link, that way you are always guaranteed to have the most up to date recipe!
16 Comments
Mandy
04/01/2017 at 7:11 pm
Cliona
05/01/2017 at 9:08 pm
Debbie
04/09/2017 at 12:33 pm
Cliona
04/09/2017 at 8:35 pm
Louise Fairweather
05/01/2017 at 1:43 pm
Cliona
05/01/2017 at 9:07 pm
Eb Gargano / easypeasyfoodie.com
05/01/2017 at 1:46 pm
Cliona
05/01/2017 at 9:06 pm
Mark, Compass & Fork
05/01/2017 at 3:14 pm
Cliona
05/01/2017 at 9:04 pm
Platter Talk
05/01/2017 at 3:22 pm
Cliona
05/01/2017 at 9:04 pm
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
05/01/2017 at 3:23 pm
Cliona
05/01/2017 at 9:03 pm
Janette@CulinaryGinger.com
05/01/2017 at 3:27 pm
Cliona
05/01/2017 at 9:03 pm