Sauteed Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Cheese and Ham

Ingredients

• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black
• 0.3 pound ham cooked thin
• 0.3 cup cooking wine dry white
• 1 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1 leaf garnish: flat parsley fresh finely chopped
• 0.3 cup flour all-purpose
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 1 pound mushrooms trimmed quartered
• 4 servings accompaniments: watercress; rice topped with truffle slices cooked
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon shallots finely chopped
• 24 ounce chicken breast halves boneless skinless
• 3 ounces swiss cheese thin
• 1 pound tomatoes diced peeled seeded
• 3 tablespoons butter unsalted

Equipment

• frying pan
• knife
• plastic wrap
• aluminum foil
• rolling pin
• cutting board
• meat tenderizer

Directions

1. Lay each breast half, skinned side up, lengthwise on a cutting board. Holding a sharp knife parallel to work surface and beginning on a long side, cut breast almost in half horizontally (not all the way through), then open it like a book.
2. Cover opened breast halves with a piece of plastic wrap and gently pound each to an even 1/2-inch thickness with a meat pounder or rolling pin.
3. Remove plastic wrap and cover each opened breast half with 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of cheese, tucking in any protruding ends.
4. Brush edge of chicken with some egg, reserving remainder, then fold each breast in half to enclose ham and cheese.
5. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. While butter is heating, quickly brush more egg onto seam of each breast again, then dredge breasts in flour, shaking off excess. Sauté chicken, turning over once, until golden and cooked through, about 8 minutes total.
7. Transfer to a plate and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.
8. Add remaining tablespoon butter to skillet, then sauté mushrooms and shallot, stirring, 1 minute.
9. Add wine and deglaze skillet by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until wine is reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.
10. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
11. Add cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half, about 6 minutes. Stir in any chicken juices accumulated on plate and season sauce with salt and pepper.
12. Serve chicken topped with sauce.