Malibu Chicken Bundles Recipe
The first time I made this, it was an instant hit and we agreed I wouldnt change a thing about the recipe. Mustard may seem like an odd ingredient, but it adds a really nice touch. This rich-tasting dish is surprisingly light.
The first time I made this, it was an instant hit and we agreed I wouldnt change a thing about the recipe. Mustard may seem like an odd ingredient, but it adds a really nice touch. This rich-tasting dish is surprisingly light.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- sauce:
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
- 1/2 cup honey dijon mustard divided
- 4 thin slices deli ham
- 4 slices reduced-fat swiss cheese
- 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple well drained
- 1-1/2 cups panko (japanese) bread crumbs
- 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condens undiluted
- 1/8 teaspoon dried tarragon
- Carbohydrate 1.97417490443558 g
- Cholesterol 2.949375 mg
- Fat 2.11405042813714 g
- Fiber 1.00921341003258 g
- Protein 1.54497268405653 g
- Saturated Fat 0.64033066047025 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (38g)
- Sodium 343.641848735073 mg
- Sugar 0.964961494403001 g
- Trans Fat 0.101352987335556 g
- Calories 31 calories
Step-by-step
- Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4-in. thickness. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard over each; layer with ham, cheese and pineapple. Fold chicken over pineapple; secure with toothpicks. Brush bundles with remaining mustard.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Roll bundles in bread crumb mixture; place in an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170degrees. Discard toothpicks.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Serve with chicken.
Home cooks frequently fail when assembling stuffed poultry because they attempt to roll thick, uneven meat without first reducing its mass through physical pounding. Flattening boneless, skinless chicken breasts to a uniform quarter-inch thickness accomplishes two critical structural goals simultaneously: it stretches the muscle fibers so they wrap cleanly around fillings without tearing, and it ensures heat transfers evenly to the center during baking. When preparing poultry parcels stuffed with ham, Swiss cheese, and crushed pineapple, managing internal moisture is paramount because wet fruit releases liquid that can steam the breading from the inside out if the pineapple is not thoroughly drained through a fine-mesh sieve beforehand.
Managing Breading Adhesion and Thermal Transfer
Securing the outer coating requires a dry surface, meaning the mustard brushed onto the exterior acts not only as a flavor agent containing pungent allyl isothiocyanate compounds that cut through rich cheese, but also as a viscous adhesive layer that grabs the panko crumbs. Panko breadcrumbs differ from standard American bread crumbs because they are baked with electrical current, producing large, flaky shards that trap air and resist immediate sogginess when baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Because chicken breast meat dries out rapidly once it crosses 165 degrees Fahrenheit, baking must be monitored closely using a digital thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the meat until the reading stabilizes at 170 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring the internal connective tissue has fully relaxed while retaining maximum juiciness.
Judging Doneness Without Special Tools
Kitchen thermometers provide absolute precision, but tactile and visual cues offer reliable alternatives when equipment fails. Pircing the thickest part of the cooked bundle with a metal skewer and holding it against the inside of your wrist should feel hot to the touch rather than merely warm, while juices escaping from the puncture must run completely clear without any pink tint. Additionally, the reduced-fat Swiss cheese inside should be fully melted and integrated with the ham and pineapple rather than remaining solid, signaling that thermal energy has successfully penetrated the entire core of the stuffed package.
