Chicken breast wrapped in bay leaf and bacon with balsamic lentils

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 150 g lentils, green, dried, preferably from Umbria or Puy
• 400 g waxy potatoes, cut into 0.5 cm cubes
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 70 ml white wine
• 250 ml chicken stock
• 100 g carrot(s), cut into approx. 3 mm cubes
• 100 g celeriac, cut into approx. 3 mm cubes
• 100 g leek, white part only, cut into julienne strips
• 100 ml olive oil
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 20 g butter
• 2 tbsp Aceto balsamico, white
• 4 chicken breasts
• 16 bay leaves, fresh
• 16 slice(s) pancetta or smoked bacon
• salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 stalks of thyme
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• ½ bulb(s) garlic
• 20 g butter

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 8 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 9 hours 25 minutes

Even without the lentils it makes a very nice party snack

Cooking time is approximately 40 minutes. Soak the lentils in cold water overnight. The next day, sauté the shallot and garlic cubes in a splash of olive oil, then deglaze with white wine. Add the chicken stock and lentils and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Add the carrot and celery cubes and the leek strips to the lentils and cook everything for another five to six minutes. During this time, fry the potato cubes in olive oil until golden brown. Once all the ingredients are cooked to the right temperature, add the potatoes and chopped parsley to the lentil mixture. Mix in a tablespoon of butter and season with salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. To make the chicken skewers, first halve the breasts lengthwise and then cut each strip in half lengthwise again. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper. Line the pancetta or spring bacon with a fresh bay leaf. Add the chicken breast strips on top and roll everything up so that the bay leaves are only covered by the bacon strips and are on the outside. Secure with toothpicks and brown the rolls on all sides in the remaining olive oil. Add the remaining butter, the halved garlic bulb, and the herb stalks, and let them cook, covered, for a few minutes. Alternatively, you can, of course, use the oven preheated to 140 degrees Celsius (284 degrees Fahrenheit). To serve, first arrange the lentil mixture on the warmed plates and then place four chicken rolls on each serving. If this dish is intended as an appetizer, the quantities can be halved.