Oven Baked Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Hello dears! 

{Image source: pvera, flickr}

So, you read the title and you realised that there is no part of this that isn't good, right? I mean, we have the main players (cheese and bacon) the backup (chicken) and the stage (oven). What could possibly be wrong here? You were right, nothing! While I was (again) planning to make risotto last night, my sister convinced me to make it when she can come round and share, so I had to make another plan for dinner. And while we've already had chicken this week, I thought it was different enough that it wouldn't matter, and I needed something fast.

These are fantastic to make on those nights when you have little time, and less patience. Just steam some spinach or chard, mix it with some cream cheese, beat the chicken flat, fill, wrap, pop in the oven. Prep takes 10 minutes, cooking takes 20-30 (depending on the size of your chicken breasts). So this is quick, easy and flavourful! Get to it!

Oven Baked Cheese Stuffed Chicken

{Image source: kubina, flickr}

Ingredients:
Skinless, boneless chicken breasts (as many as there are people, more than one per person if you have hungry people. I bought a pack of 4, made all of them and we ate 1 each, with 2 leftover. And mine were small, so its up to you)
Plain cream cheese (or flavoured, if that's your thing. Don't know about salmon cream cheese and chicken though...)
Spinach or Swiss chard, roughly chopped
Small block of feta diced *optional
2 rashers of streaky bacon per chicken breast
Salt and pepper to season

{Image source: pvera, flickr}

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Steam or quickly boil your chard/spinach in the microwave - 3 mins worked for mine. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Using a can, pan or meat mallet, beat your chicken breasts to about a centimeter thick - you want them quite thin, so you can fill and roll them.
4. Once flattened, season both sides with salt and pepper, and set aside.
5. In a bowl, mix the chard and the cream cheese. You'll have to judge how much you need, based on how many chicken breasts you have, but for 4 small chicken breasts, I used just over 2 tbsps cream cheese.
6. Mix in the diced feta, and spoon the cheese and chard mix into the centre of each breast.
7. Wrap the chicken around the filling, covering all of it with the chicken. You don't want to over-fill these, as all the cheese will leak out when baking. If you fill them properly, it should stay inside.
8. When they are all full, take the bacon and wrap it around each breast, sealing in the cheesy goodness. Mine took 2 rashers per breast, but I suppose if you have enormous chicken breasts you might need more. Judge it. And remember, there's no such thin as too much bacon.
9. Spray an oven-proof dish or cookie sheet with some oil, and place the chicken breasts seam side down into the dish.
10. Pop the whole lot in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes. Take it out, and stab the chicken, if the juice runs clear, its cooked, if not, pop it back in for another 5-10 minutes. You don't want to overcook or undercook the chicken, so keep an eye on it. 
11. If you like your bacon crispy, when the chicken is cooked, turn up the grill and brown the bacon for a few minutes.
12. Remove from the oven, and serve hot with a salad, and sweet potato mash.

This was delicious, fast and easy, and came with leftovers. Plus, it had cheese and bacon which, next to cupcakes, are my two favourite things.

So make this, and thank me later!

Enjoy, lovelies!