Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken

An image of Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken

#chicken #dinner

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 180 g baby spinach
  • 5 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 200 g feta, finely crumbled
  • 250 g streaky bacon
  • 1 cup grated tasty or cheddar cheese
  • salad, roasted vegetables or cooked rice to serve
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat an oven to 175°C. Lightly grease a 25 x 30cm baking dish with cooking spray or oil and set aside.
  • 2. In a medium frying pan, add the oil and bring to a medium heat. Add the garlic and heat for one minute until lightly golden. Add the spinach and gently cook until it has wilted down.
  • 3. Remove the spinach mix and place into a medium bowl. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
  • 4. While the spinach is cooling prepare the chicken breasts. Place the chicken breast on the chopping board and lay your hand over the top of the chicken breast. Carefully using a very sharp knife, slice into the side of the breast approx. 1 cm from the top and slice approximately 3/4 of the way through horizontally, but do not slice it all the way. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and set aside.
  • 5. Once the spinach is almost cooled, add in feta, grated cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper and stir well to combine.
  • 6. To stuff the chicken, open the sliced chicken breast and take a scoop of mixture and place this in the centre of the breast (be generous with the stuffing, but ensure the lid will still close) and close the chicken lid.
  • 7. Take a strip of bacon and start by placing one end underneath the thickest end of the breast, then carefully wrap the bacon around the chicken, careful not to overlap too much, ending underneath again or tucking the end of the bacon into the strip next to it. To wrap the chicken, you will need 2-3 strips of bacon per chicken breast.
  • 8. Repeat with the strips of bacon until the chicken breast is covered and all the ends are underneath the chicken. Place in the prepared baking dish and repeat with the remaining chicken.
  • 9. Bake for 50-60 minutes (the timing will depend on the size of the chicken breasts) or until the bacon is golden and the chicken is fully cooked. Test with a knife, the chicken should no longer be pink and the juices should run clear. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
  • 10. Serve with salad, roast vegetables or fragrant coriander rice and enjoy!