Cheesy Grilled Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Canadian Bacon Walnuts Recipes

CHEESY GRILLED SPINACH-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CANADIAN BACON & WALNUTS

Steps:

• Trim chicken breasts of any fat. Pound to 1/2" - 3/4" thick, or simply slice open through thickest part, butterflying.
• Top each with 2 slices Canadian bacon.
• In medium bowl, stir together filling ingredients well. Top each with filling.
• Press closed, and tie with cooking string, wrapping around simply, for ease of removing later.
• Heat one side of grill to medium-high heat. Oil grates on cool side, and place filled breasts, filling side-up, onto grill. Close lid and grill until done, about 30-35 minutes.
• Remove string. Top each with thick slices of fresh mozzarella, close lid and melt cheese, about 5 minutes.
• Remove to an oven-safe baking dish, and place into a low oven to keep warm while preparing any side dishes.
• Serve topped with the 1/2 cup reserved sauce (warmed), a garden-fresh tossed salad, and angel hair pasta with sauce. (*Also goes nicely with a wild rice pilaf.)
• *Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

SPINACH STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST

Steps:

• In a hot cast iron over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Stir occassionally to cook evenly. Remove bacon and set aside. Leave a tablespoon of bacon fat and discard the rest or save it for reheating or for other dish.
• Combine the seasonings. In a small bowl, combine onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. ¼ teaspoon is added to stuffing and the rest is used to season chicken.
• Prepare the spinach stuffing. Mash soften cream cheese then add mozzarella, feta, mayonnaise, ½ of bacon bits and ¼ teaspoon seasoning. Mix well then add the chopped spinach.
• Make a pocket in chicken breast, cut a slit in the rounder edge. Note: More details in making a pocket discussed in the post above.
• Divide the spinach stuffing into 3 portions and stuff the chicken. Open up the chicken, spoon and spread the stuffing in the pocket. Push the stuffing inside to easily seal the edges with tooth pick. Place a whole tooth pick in the middle then half tooth pick on both sides.
• Pre-heat oven at 375 degrees F.
• Heat up the cast iron with 1 tablespoon bacon fat, sear and brown chicken breast for 3 minutes on each side. Note: It's OK if some stuffing leaks out, you can always add it when you serve the chicken.
• Transfer cast iron in the oven then bake for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature in the thickest part of chicken reaches 165 degree F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes then remove all the toothpicks and serve. If there are some stuffing that leaked out add on top of chicken breast then sprinkle some bacon bits. Enjoy!

CHEESY SPINACH STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425˚F with a rack in the center. In a mixing bowl, mash together cream cheese, mayo and garlic with a fork then stir in mozzarella, parmesan and chopped spinach leaves until combined.
• Lay chicken on a flat surface and cut slit 3/4 of the way through without cutting all the way through. Stuff each chicken breast with 1/3 of the mixture and seal horizontally with a toothpick (make sure the chicken breast can lay flat on the sides for searing.
• Season the outside of the chicken breast all over with 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp paprika, or season to taste.
• Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in an oven-proof pan such as cast iron, or large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté for 4 minutes per side until golden brown on each side.
• Flip a second time and immediately transfer skillet to preheated oven. Bake at 425˚F for 10-15 minutes until thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers at 165˚F. Rest chicken 5 minutes before slicing. Spoon pan juices over chicken to serve.

SPINACH-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Prepare grill.
• In medium sized skillet heat 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat.
• Add onion and red pepper; saute 5 minutes.
• Add spinach, 1 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; cook 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat; let cool slightly.
• Stir in cheese.
• For rub, in small cup, combine 1 tbsp oil, 2 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper.
• In each breast, cut a pocket horizontally through thicker side.
• Fill each with 3-4 tbsp spinach stuffing.
• With 2 toothpicks, secure pocket closed.
• With fingers, spread rub on both sides of each chicken breast.
• Grill 10-12 minutes per side or till thermometer registers 170.