Lean eating is definitely not boring with the addition of my Turkey Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts. These are also STUFFED with cheese and spinach and topped with cherry tomatoes.
4mediumboneless, skinless, chicken breasts- or about 3 pounds total
12slices turkey bacon
8oz.cheese- gruyere, goat cheese, havarti, cream cheese, etc. (your choice!)
4Tablespoonsolive oil- divided
1/3mediumonion- diced
4clovesgarlic- minced
6cupsspinach
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper- to taste
red pepper flakes- to taste (optional)
2cupscherry tomatoes- halved
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium saucepan, heat one tablespoon olive oil to medium heat. Add onion and cook for a few minutes. Then add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or so. Add spinach and stir for about a minute. Remove from heat.
Take the chicken breasts and remove visible fat and pat dry. Butterfly them open so that there is more surface area.
Place one breast at a time on cling wrap (saran wrap works fine too) and place another piece on top. Pound the breasts on both sides (flipping it while in the wrap) to make them thinner. Season with salt and pepper.
Place two slices (or two oz.) of gruyere cheese (or another kind of cheese) down the middle of each breast. Spoon 1/4 of the spinach mixture over the cheese. Carefully wrap each breast so that the mixture stays in the middle.
Lay three pieces of turkey bacon on a cutting board. Place one breast on the middle of the bacon and wrap the bacon around the rolled breast. Repeat for each of the four breasts.
Using the same sauce pan over medium high heat, add two tablespoons of olive oil. Place two of the wrapped chicken breasts in pan and cook on each side for a minute or so (rotating it on all four sides), searing the bacon and giving it a nice dark color. Repeat with the remaining two breasts.
Place the turkey bacon wrapped chicken breasts in a sprayed casserole dish.
Slice the cherry tomatoes and place on top and around the wrapped chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.
Video
Notes
If you can, ask the butcher to butterfly and pound out the breasts.
You can substitute regular bacon for the turkey bacon, but par-cook it first to get some of the grease out. Then wrap it around the chicken.
You can also substitute the filling ingredients for other veggies and cheese.
Chicken is done when the insides read 165 degrees on a thermometer.