Stuffing Chicken Breasts

Whereas a Western cook might stuff a chicken breast by pounding the boned meat thin and wrapping it around a filling, a Chinese cook butterflies the breast with a single cut parallel to the cutting surface. Then the breast is folded around the filling and deep-fried. Most deep-fried dishes use a batter to form a protective coating, but chicken has such a delicate flavor that we prefer to leave it plain. The stuffing keeps the chicken moist, and when the chicken is cut crosswise into bite-sized pieces it provides a contrast in colors.