Grilled Chicken and Avocado Napoleons

I have been wanting to make Giada's "California Light and Healthy" napoleons for some time, this blog inspired me to finally try them out. They were definitely tasty, but the next time I make them I will modify a little bit.

First off, I am not so sure how "light" these really are. I added up the calories and figure that one serving is somewhere around 980...which I don't really consider light. The pastry puff has a lot of calories, I wondered if you would be better off just using thinly sliced whole wheat bread.

For my boys, I made a two layer napoleon, and I wish I would have done the same for me. The three layer was really hard to get your mouth around, and I was stuffed after eating only half. (They are much bigger than the picture portrays.) John, on the other hand, inhaled his and finished off the rest of mine. He loved them! He's only complaint was that there was a little too much pastry, and thought the two layer would be better for next time too.

The recipe says to cut your chicken in 1/4 inch slices, I used my electric knife to get even thin slices.

Overall, they were delicious and easy to make. Everyone liked them, even if they were hard to eat, and that doesn't happen too often at our house!

Grilled Chicken and Avocado Napoleons

by Giada De Laurentiis

• 2 (9 by 10-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut into 12 (3 by 5-inch) rectangles
• 4 (4-ounce) boneless and skinless chicken breast halves
• Kosher salt
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 3 tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 large avocado, thinly sliced into 8 pieces
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves

Directions

Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the pastry on the prepared baking sheets. Using the tines of a fork, prick the top of the pastry all over. Cover the pastry with parchment paper and place another baking sheet on top. Bake for 25 minutes until golden. Remove the top baking sheets and parchment paper. Set aside to cool.

Preheat a grill pan or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the chicken with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Grill until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and cayenne pepper.

To assemble the Napoleons: Place 4 pieces pastry on a work surface. Slice each chicken breast diagonally into 6 (1/4-inch thick) slices. Place 3 chicken breast slices on each piece of pastry. Place 1/4 cup of spinach and 1 avocado slice on top. Spread 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture on the underside of another 4 pieces of pastry to create the middle layer of each Napoleon. Place on top. Repeat the layering. Each Napoleon should be completed with a piece of pastry as its top.

Arrange the Napoleons on a platter and serve.