BACON-WRAPPED MUSHROOM AND CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN



BACON-WRAPPED MUSHROOM AND CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN

This chicken is melt-in-your mouth tender with this method of brushing the chicken with salted butter on the inside before stuffing.

4 large chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter, melted (30 mL)
1/2  tsp salt (2 mL)
Filling:
3 tbsp olive oil (45 mL)
3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced (750 mL)
1/2  cup chopped onion (125 mL)
1 tsp crushed garlic (5 mL)
1/2  tsp seasoning salt (2 mL)
1/2  tsp Italian herb seasoning (2 mL)
1/8 tsp black pepper (0.5 mL)
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese (500 mL)

8 slices bacon, cooked but still pliable

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Wash chicken breasts and remove any bits of bone.  Carefully slice the chicken breasts open down their length, butterfly-style (not all the way through to the other edge).  Open each breast along the fold.  Cover with plastic wrap and with meat mallet pound the chicken breasts until they are thinner all over. 

In small bowl, combine melted butter and salt.  Brush salted butter over inside of chicken breasts. 

Filling:  In nonstick frying pan in olive oil, over medium heat, stir-fry mushrooms and onion.  When onions are softening, add garlic and cook a while longer.  Sprinkle with seasoning salt, Italian herb seasoning and black pepper.  Place in bowl and allow to cool.  When cool, stir in Mozzarella cheese.

Fill chicken breasts with mushroom cheese mixture and fold over top flap of chicken breast to cover filling.  Wrap 2 pieces of prepared bacon around each chicken breast and place in a 2-quart (2 L) casserole dish.  Brush with salted butter again.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (white throughout and not pink).  Halfway through baking, brush pan juices over chicken.

Yield:  4 servings
1 serving
483.3 calories
41.6 g protein
32.3 g fat
5.1 g net carbs