Lisa's Food on the Fly "Gratin with Grilled Herbed Chicken Breasts"
2-3 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup Flour
1 stick butter
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-quart organic chicken stock
A pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
2 skinless, boneless chick breasts
1 package flat wide egg noodles
2 cups toasted Panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp each: fresh thyme, oregano, tarragon, rosemary, chopped
Olive oil
Chicken
Cut breasts in half and pound until flat. In a bowl, combine the minced garlic, fresh chopped herbs, kosher salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken breasts and allow chicken to marinate for 1 hour or over night.
Gratin
Preheat oven to 375°. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta. Drain and chill under cold running cold water. Place in a bowl and season with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Melt the remaining stick of butter and combine it with the toasted Panko breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and chopped parsley and set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat 1/2 stick of the butter. Add the flour and cook for a bit. Add a little of the stock and stir until smooth. Add the remaining stock and cook until the béchamel is thick. Season the béchamel with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add cheese and cooked pasta and place in a buttered baking dish. Top with the toasted breadcrumb mixture and bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
Heat a grill or grill pan until hot. Grill chicken breasts until just done. Serve with gratin.
