Lewis County Recipes: Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts

There is no end to the flavor combinations you can achieve with this dish. Very simple and hearty, stuffed chicken can morph into whatever you feel like for dinner. Like spicy? Stuff with jalapeños and cheddar. If you're feeling like Mexican, stuff the chicken with guacamole, corn, and salsa. Add a sweet kick by stuffing with mozzarella, dried cranberries, and pecans. How about goat cheese and dried fruit, or Boursin cheese and maple-flavored bacon?

You can also create a complete meal by stuffing the chicken with fresh or sautéed asparagus, broccoli, spinach, or a sweet potato/kale hash. Use a different cheese or stuff the chicken with another meat like hot Italian sausage or onions and chopped brats. This dish cooks beautifully on the grill as well.

No matter your taste buds, this recipe can adapt to make a wonderful presentation dish that not only looks great but tastes delicious, too. Enjoy!

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

bacon

4-6 chicken breasts

cheese (your choice)

vegetables, fresh or sautéed

salt and pepper

seasoning of your choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butterfly the chicken breasts by splitting them in half, careful not to cut all the way through.

Place the butterflied chicken breasts between two pieces of cling wrap atop a solid cutting board. (I like to put a dish towel beneath the cutting board to help keep it from shifting.)

Flatten the breasts evenly with a meat tenderizer hammer until they are consistently 1/2 inch thick all around. Set aside.

Create your stuffing. I like to braise broccoli or sauté mushrooms and layer with pepper jack and Babybel cheese. You'll find them in a red netting bag in the cheese section. (see photo).

Whatever you create, simply stuff the breast, then tightly roll chicken into a roll or loaf (like rolling out a cinnamon roll or sushi). Wrap bacon around each breast, careful not to overlap. Assure that all stuffing is covered inside the bacon and chicken or it will leak out.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place a cooking grate over the cookie sheet. (If you don't have a cooking grate, lightly spray with Pam or rub a small amount of olive oil or butter on your pan where you will line the breasts).

Cover tightly and bake approximately 45 minutes. Uncover the foil and roast the breasts on 500 degrees for 5-10 minutes to crisp the bacon.