By Chuck Martin
Enquirer staff writer

Chef Henry Warman prepares his chicken dish using packaged coleslaw mix. He stuffed the chicken with the slaw and wrapped it in plastic wrap before roasting. (The finished dish is at right.) Photos by BRANDI STAFFORD/The Enquirer

We figured Henry Warman wasn't going to take his bag of coleslaw mix and just jazz it up to make fancy coleslaw. Too easy.

Instead, the chef at Mangia Osteria and Guido's Lounge in Mount Adams stuffed a chicken breast with the shredded cabbage and sauteed peppers and roasted it in the oven. Why not cook coleslaw?

He didn't stop there. In his home kitchen in Cheviot, Warman used a daring technique to cook the chicken, rolling it tightly in plastic wrap before roasting it. We know what you're thinking - but amazingly, the plastic wrap didn't melt. With only a little olive oil (used to saute the peppers), the skinless, low-fat chicken breast turned out moist and flavorful.

For a final touch, the Nicaragua-native sliced the chicken and served it on a bed of crunchy (raw) slaw and mixed greens seasoned with a limey, slightly salty vinaigrette - a little like a margarita.

Hot or cold, Warman's Chicken Roulade Stuffed with Caribbean Slaw makes a quick (20 to 25 minutes), healthy summer meal. And it all started with a bag of coleslaw from the grocery.

Chicken Roulade Stuffed with Caribbean Slaw

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/2 each, julienned: green, yellow and red bell peppers

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups coleslaw mix, divided

Juice of 1 lime, divided

Full chicken breast, pounded

ABOUT THE CHEF

A native of Nicaragua, Henry Warman is a graduate of the Greater Cincinnati Culinary Academy. He has worked as a chef in many area restaurant kitchens, including the Diner on Sycamore and Ciao Baby Cucina. Warman has served as executive chef of Mangia Osteria and Guido's Lounge in Mount Adams since the restaurants opened in January.

ABOUT THE SERIES

We give a chef a common ingredient and ask him or her to create a dish with it - and no more than seven other grocery store ingredients - in 45 minutes or less in their home kitchen. Tell us which ingredients to give the chef. Send ideas to: What would a chef do with? The Cincinnati Enquirer 312 Elm St., Cincinnati OH 45202 E-mail: cmartin@enquirer.com Include your phone number.

Zest of 1/2 lime

1/4 teaspoon each: dried thyme, celery seed, chili powder , garlic salt

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

6 grape tomatoes, halved

Mixed greens

1 peach, pitted and cut into wedges (optional garnish)

Preheat oven to 550 degrees.

Saute julienned peppers in olive oil until tender and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside half of sauteed peppers and toss remaining half with 1 cup coleslaw mix. Season with 1 teaspoon lime juice and salt and pepper.

Season flattened chicken breast with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon lime juice. Place coleslaw-pepper mix on top of chicken and roll chicken over stuffing tightly. Place rolled chicken on top of plastic wrap and roll tightly. Twist and tie ends of plastic wrap. Add enough water to cover bottom of ovenproof pan. Place plastic-wrapped chicken in pan and into oven. Roast 20 to 25 minutes, until chicken registers 160 degrees. (See note.)

To make vinaigrette, whisk remaining lime juice with zest, salt, pepper, mustard, thyme, celery seed, chili powder and garlic salt. Slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil until vinaigrette thickens. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste, if needed. (Vinaigrette should be slightly salty.)

Toss remaining half of sauteed peppers with remaining coleslaw mix; add sliced grape tomatoes. Add half of vinaigrette and toss. Toss mixed greens with remaining vinaigrette.

When chicken tests done, remove it from oven and allow to cool a few minutes. Cut open plastic wrap and allow chicken to cool 10 minutes before cutting on diagonal.

To serve, place coleslaw and mixed greens on two plates. Place sliced chicken roulade on top and garnish with peach wedges, if desired. Makes 2 servings.

Note: This is a fairly common chef's method for poaching seafood, sausages and other food. Water in the bottom of the pan prevents the plastic wrap from melting. (Without the water, plastic wrap melts at 250 degrees.) If you attempt this dish, make sure the bottom of the pan is covered with water. Just in case, consider lining the bottom of the pan with foil. Although there is little evidence to support it, some worry that heated plastic wrap can leak cancer-causing substances into food. If you're concerned, wrap the chicken tightly in foil and crimp ends. This method may increase cooking time.