In my quest to not only try new recipes monthly, but to incorporate them into my culinary arsenal, I'm bound to have a combination of hits and misses.  While Southern Living's "Easy Chicken & Dumplings" was an out-of-the-ballpark winner for our family, the "Slow-Cooker Pork Chops" met with mixed approval, and all of us were disappointed in the Sizzling Flounder""; sizzling anything sounds delicious but I'm afraid paprika ruined it for me.  

We went to Carrabba's with friends the other night and I tried a new dish:  Polla Rosa Maria.  

Oh.  My.  Word.

The yummilicity factor on this one is off the charts!  Chicken stuffed with fontina cheese and prosciutto, then topped with mushrooms in a basil lemon butter sauce?  Slap-me-nekkid-and-hide-my-clothes, it was so stinkin' good my husband stole my plate and licked it clean enough to stack back on the shelf!

Then he had the audacity to suggest I cook it for dinner.  

At first I thought he was crazy, but with a lee-tle Al Gore-invention called the "internet", I realized he was CRAZY LIKE A FOX!  We found a copycat recipe in two clicks, and ladies and gentlemen–it might not be a Southern Living recipe, but oh-my-LANTA, it's SCRUMPTIOUS!  My very picky kids even devoured it, so this one makes the cut.

It sounds a little intimidating–i.e., butterflying chicken and stuffing it?–but I promise, it's EASY and downright fancy.  Try it…you'll like it!

Pollo Rosa Maria (a Carrabba's copycat recipe) 

Ingredients:

• 4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves
• 4 slices prosciutto ham
• 1/2 cup fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup clarified butter – see Notes, below
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 sm. yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
• 4 Tbls. butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh sweet basil (use FRESH, much better!)
• Juice of 1 lemon

Butterfly chicken breasts (they'll do this for you in the meat department) and grill over hot coals for 3-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through; remove from grill and allow to cool.

Holding a breast in your hand, opened like a taco shell, stuff each breast with one slice of prosciuto and 1/8 cup fontina cheese.  Secure breasts closed with toothpicks.  Set aside and keep warm.

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic and onion in clarified butter until tender.  Deglaze pan with wine.  Add mushrooms, butter, salt, and pepper and sauté 1-2 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender.

Stir in basil and lemon juice.  Top stuffed chicken with prepared sauce.

Enjoy!

Notes: To make clarified butter, melt butter over low heat; remove from heat and let sit until the milk solids settle to the bottom; skim the clear butter from the top; discard sediment.  **Don't get hung up on this; I think I messed it up but it STILL tasted wonderful!