Bacon & Basil-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

How to Make

• Step 1: Preheat oven to 400F.

• Step 2: In a small saucepan of boiling water blanch basil 2 seconds and drain in a sieve.

• Step 3: Rinse basil under cold water to stop cooking and pat dry on paper towels.

• Step 4: Put 1 whole chicken breast, skinned side down, on a work surface and remove "tender" (fillet strip located on either side of where breast bone was) from each breast half, keeping rest of chicken breast intact. (There should be 2 tenders from each whole breast.)

• Step 5: Put 2 tenders side by side and wrap 7 basil leaves around them to enclose them.

• Step 6: Season remainder of whole breast with salt and pepper and put basil-wrapped tenders lengthwise down middle of 1 breast half.

• Step 7: Fold other breast half over to enclose tenders.

• Step 8: Beginning on underside at 1 end of breast, wrap bacon slices snugly but without stretching, 1 at a time, around breast in a continuous overlapping spiral from 1 end to the other. (You will need about 4 to 5 bacon slices for each breast.)

• Step 9: Remove tenders from remaining 2 chicken breasts and stuff and wrap breasts in same manner.

• Step 10: Sprinkle crushed peppercorns evenly over bacon wrappings.

• Step 11: Heat a 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet over moderately high heat until hot.

• Step 12: Sliding a metal spatula under wrapped chicken breasts to keep bacon intact, transfer 2 breasts, undersides down, to skillet.

• Step 13: Cook chicken, turning it only after bacon on underside is golden, until bacon is golden and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes total.

• Step 14: Transfer chicken as browned to a plate and cook remaining breast in same manner.

• Step 15: Pour off fat from skillet and return all 3 chicken breasts to skillet.

• Step 16: Roast chicken in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until firm to the touch and just cooked through.

• Step 17: Transfer chicken with tongs to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.