CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL POLLO ROSA MARIA

The secret to the signature flavor of the most popular grilled dishes at Carrabba’s, including the Pollo Rosa Maria, is a top secret grill baste that is applied to the food as it cooks. According to servers at the chain, the base formula contains butter, oil, vinegar, and seasoning, and it flames up big time when applied to the chicken, giving the dish a fantastic smoky flavor. Carrabba’s famous lemon butter sauce and mushrooms top the chicken breasts stuffed with Fontina cheese and prosciutto for an impressive signature entrée that can now be perfectly duplicated by you.

GRILL BASTE
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

LEMON BUTTER SAUCE
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons dry white wine (Chablis)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup heavy cream

MUSHROOMS
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces (3 cups) sliced mushrooms
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
4 6-ounce skinless chicken breast fillets
4¼-ounce slices prosciutto
4½-ounce slices Fontina cheese
Salt
Ground black pepper

Cooking method

1-Preheat your grill to high.

2-Make the grill baste by combining all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bringing it to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat when the mixture begins to bubble in the middle of the pan.

3-Make the lemon butter sauce by melting the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook slowly for 5 minutes, but do not let the garlic brown. Add the wine, lemon juice, salt, and white pepper, then raise the temperature just a little bit and cook for another 3 minutes or until simmering. Turn off the heat. When the sauce stops bubbling, whisk in the cream. Turn the heat to low and cook for about 3 minutes, whisking often, until the sauce is hot and thick. Cover the pan and turn off the heat.

4-Prepare the mushrooms by combining the butter with the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the sliced mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned. Add the mushrooms to the lemon butter sauce along with the basil.

5-Make a deep slice through the middle of each chicken breast, but not all of the way through, making a flap that you can open. Place a slice of prosciutto and a slice of Fontina cheese inside each chicken breast and close the flap over the fillings. Rub each chicken breast with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken for 10 to 12 minutes until done. Flip the chicken over several times as it cooks and use a brush to baste the chicken breasts thoroughly with the grill baste each time you flip the chicken.

6-(optional) Serve the chicken breasts with the lemon butter sauce and mushrooms spooned over the top. You can also cook the chicken using a grill pan on your stovetop preheated over medium heat.