Chicken-Wrapped Asparagus

I have been plotting and planning this meal for about two weeks now! My first attempt did not go as planned! ... As I was about to put the chicken it in the oven, our electricity went out! So... we had to barbecue it (which was not an ideal cooking method for this dish). It was too dry and burnt on the bottom. :( Our electricity continued it's unpredictability last week with the heavy rain storms. I pretty much planned a barbecue every night since, just to be safe! So... this is Chicken-Wrapped Asparagus attempt #2! I am very happy to report that is was delicious, and well worth the wait. Hope you enjoy! :-)

Recipe:

4 chicken breasts

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 C mushrooms, chopped

1 T olive oil

2+ T fresh chopped rosemary

Asparagus spears-12 (3 per chicken breast)

Seasonings: black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika

*Baking string or cooking twine (I can't remember what it's called)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute garlic in olive oil until it starts to brown. Add sliced mushroom and saute for a few more minutes. Remove from heat. In a food processor, pulse garlic, mushrooms and rosemary until slightly paste-like. Set aside. Pound each chicken breasts fairly thin. Season underside of breast with some of the seasonings. Spread about 1+ T of the mushroom/garlic/rosemary paste on each breast - stay mostly within the center of the breasts (use it all up). Place 3 asparagus spears over chicken breast and roll. Secure with baking string (about 6"). I placed the asparagus spears perpendicular to the length of the chicken breast so that I had sufficient chicken to wrap the asparagus with. Place wrapped and twine-secured chicken breasts in a baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika and black pepper (for color), cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve with steamed asparagus! ...Enjoy :-)