Ingredients :

• Chicken Breasts — Choose thick ones of similar size for even cooking. A fillet that’s too thin is hard to open—the pocket might tear and the stuffing will leak during cooking. If you can visit a butcher, ask for supremes: they are generally better calibrated than supermarket vacuum packs.
• Green Asparagus — Go for green rather than white here, no hesitation. They hold up better to double cooking (blanching then oven) and keep a bold color. Choose medium-sized stalks: not too thin, or they’ll melt and disappear into the cheese, nor too thick, or they won’t fit neatly into the pocket.
• Mozzarella — Get a block of fior di latte mozzarella and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded bagged cheese contains anti-caking starch that prevents it from melting properly. Also avoid buffalo mozzarella here—it’s too moist and will soggy the inside of the fillet rather than melting cleanly.
• Paprika — Smoked paprika rather than sweet if you have the choice. It gives the surface of the chicken a very light ember aroma that contrasts well with the freshness of the asparagus. Half a teaspoon is plenty for it to be noticed without overpowering.