• Prep Time:
  • Cooking Time:
  • Serves: 1 Servings

Phyllo, Eating Well's Low-Fat Method

  • Recipe Submitted by on

Category: Appetizers

 Ingredients List

  • For appetizers with a lot of style but little fat, phyllo pastries are a
  • natural. The paper-thin sheets of phyllo dough can be rolled, folded,
  • shaped, seasoned, or filled in countless ways. In typical phyllo recipes,
  • however, the layers of dough are freely brushed with melted butter; when
  • baked, the butter keeps the thin sheets separate, producing a flaky--and
  • fat-saturated--result. We developed a technique in which the leaves of
  • phyllo are lightly coated with a blend of egg white and olive oil. During
  • baking, the egg whites become crisp while the oil keeps the leaves
  • separate. The low-fat technique has an unexpected and welcome benefit: the
  • pastries turn out crisper and less oily than those made with pure fat, and
  • filled pastires don't become soggy.
  • Frozen phyllo (or filo or fillo) is available in most supermarkets; it is
  • also sold fresh in some Greek and Middle Eastern specialty shops. One pound
  • of dough averages 25 large sheets of pastry. Our recipes were devloped for
  • full-sized sheets, either 14 by 18 inches or 12 by 17 inches. These
  • appetizers work beautifully for entertaining because they can be prepared
  • in advance and refrigerated or frozen.
  • TIPS:
  • Phyllo Dough is easy and fun to work with as long as it doesn't get soggy
  • or dried out. To avoid these potential hazards:
  • Thaw frozen phyllo in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or
  • overnight; this will prevent damp spots that could cause the sheets of
  • dough to stick together.
  • Remove phyllo from refrigerator, and leave unopened at room temperature
  • for 1 to 2 hours.
  • Clear a large work surface before removing phyllo from the box.
  • Carefully unroll sheets onto a dry surface.
  • Keep sheets of phyllo covered with plastic wrap or wax paper while you
  • work; if the dough is left uncovered for even a short period of time, it
  • dries out and breaks into flakes.
  • Work quickly and with a gentle hand.
  • From Eating Well, May/June 1993.
  • From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

 Directions



Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Phyllo-Wrapped Chicken with Southwest Pesto and Garlic Sauce
Categories: Chicken, Mexican, Ethnic
Yield: 6 Servings

For Pesto
6 Fresh mild green chili
-peppers, Anaheim or Poblano
1 c Fresh spinach leaves
1/2 c Freshly grated Parmesan
-cheese
1/4 c Pine nuts; toasted
3 Garlic cloves
1 tb Chopped chipotle chilies in
-adobo sauce
1/2 c Olive oil
For Garlic Sauce
2 tb Butter
2 tb Flour
2 c Canned low-salt chicken
-broth
3/4 c Whipping cream
3 Garlic cloves; minced
1/4 c Chopped fresh basil
For Chicken
6 Sheets frozen phyllo dough;
-thawed
1/2 c Butter; melted
6 Skinless boneless chicken
-breast halves
1 1/2 c Grated Monterey Jack cheese

For Pesto: Char peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all
sides. Wrap in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers.
Grind roasted peppers, spinach, cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and chipotle
chilies in processor. With processor running add oil; process until
blended. Season with salt and pepper.

For Garlic Sauce: In small saucepan, melt butter and add flour. Cook for 1
minute, stirring constantly, to create roux. Add broth in a stream,
stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and let thicken. Add cream;
stirring and bringing to a simmer. Add garlic and basil; simmer sauce about
10 minutes for flavors to blend. Season with salt and pepper. (Pesto and
garlic sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic onto surface of pesto
and cover. Cover sauce; refrigerate both.)

For Chicken: Preheat oven to 400ยบ. Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface so
that 1 long side is parallel to edge of work surface (cover remaining
phyllo with plastic wrap and damp towel.) Brush phyllo lightly with melted
butter. Fold in half crosswise as for book. Brush with butter. Place 1
chicken breast so that 1 long side is two inches from bottom of phyllo,
centering between sides of phyllo. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Spoon 1 generous tbs pesto over chicken. Sprinkle with 1/4 c cheese. Fold
bottom of phyllo over chicken. Fold short sides of phyllo over chicken.
Roll up jelly roll style. Place seam down on large baking sheet. Brush with
butter. Repeat with remaining chicken. Bake until chicken is cooked through
and phyllo is golden, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile bring garlic sauce to
simmer. Spoon some sauce onto each plate and place chicken on pool of
sauce.

Per serving: 626 Calories; 53g Fat (76% calories from fat); 24g Protein;
14g Carbohydrate; 143mg Cholesterol; 357mg Sodium

NOTES : The pesto is so good, you may want to serve the chicken with an
extra dollop on top.

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