Cheesy Stuffed Tomato Chicken Food

STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST WITH BACON, TOMATO, AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Whisk egg in shallow bowl. Dip and coat chicken breasts in the egg.
• Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Brown chicken, flipping to ensure both sides are cooked, 5 to 7 minutes total.
• Meanwhile, combine spinach, bacon, tomatoes, Cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise, and garlic in a medium bowl.
• Remove chicken from the pan. Slice into the meatiest, thickest side of each breast carefully in a butterfly-cut, creating a "pocket" for the stuffing. Stuff liberally with spinach mixture.
• Place stuffed chicken into a baking dish, with stuffing mixture at the top. If pieces cannot stand on their own, lean against each other or the side of the baking dish to ensure stuffing remains inside chicken. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Cover the dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, about 40 minutes.

CHEESY BROCCOLI-STUFFED CHICKEN WITH TOMATO RICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the rice until well coated. Add the tomato sauce and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered.
• Meanwhile, mix the broccoli, cheese spread, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Cut three deep slits across the top of each chicken breast at an angle (do not cut through). Rub the chicken with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and season with salt, pepper and the paprika. Stuff the broccoli mixture into the slits and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the chicken.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Make 2-inch-long deep cut with knife parallel to cutting board in center of each chicken breast half to form pocket. Evenly stuff pockets with cheese and tomatoes; secure with wooden toothpicks. Sprinkle, if desired, with salt and pepper. Dip chicken breasts in flour.
• Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and brown chicken. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 seconds. Stir in Sauce and simmer covered 6 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove toothpicks. Serve, if desired, over hot steamed escarole or spinach.

CHEESY STUFFED TOMATO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make deep horizontal slits in chicken breasts - ie pockets or envelopes. Marinade chicken breasts in italian vinegrette for about 1-2 hours, longer is okay too. Make sure to saturate the inside and outside of the chicken with marinade.
• Chicken Filling : In a pan over medium heat with a table spoon of olive oil saute minced onion, celery, garlic & mushrooms until tender, about 6-7 minutes. Turn off heat. Add chopped cilantro, rosemary, basil and sun dried tomatoes, stir to wilt fresh ingredients, if using dried just toss in the ingredients. Then stir in cream cheese & chili paste, allow to melt thouroughly and then set aside in pan.
• Preheat oven to 450.
• In a deep baking dish add a thin layer of marinara sauce (keeps chicken from burning) and then sprinkle in a small handful of grated mozzarella cheese, set aside.
• Take chicken out of marinade and let drip dry, you can toss the marinade. Use a spoon to fill the chicken pockets with sauted filling and set into the prepared baking dish. You may have leftover filling, save it. On top of the chicken sprinkle in a generous handful of crushed crunchy onions.
• If you have leftover sautee filling stir it into the remaining marinara sauce and pour all around chicken in the baking dish.
• Bake at 450 for about 1 1/2 hours
• Pull baking dish out of the over and layer the remaining crushed onions and mozzarella cheese over the chicken. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes until bubbly.
• Serve with sprinkled parmasean cheese.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pound chicken between two sheets of wax paper, flattening to 1/4 inch thickness using a rolling pin or mallet.
• Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Mix together cream cheese, two-thirds of garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes; then spread cream cheese filling over one side of each chicken breast.
• Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon basil and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese over breasts; roll up and secure with a toothpick in each breast.
• Place in an 8-inch-square baking pan coated with cooking spray and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
• While chicken is cooking (or standing), combine plum tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, rest of minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon basil. Cut chicken into slices; serve bruschetta (tomato mix) over the slices.
• Any leftover bruschetta can be served with toasted or grilled French/Italian bread slices on another day for a great snack/appetizer!