Bacon will always rule as king of the breakfast meats.
Interesting enough, we don’t reach for bacon near enough to add great flavor and fat to other meals, like lunch or dinner.
The addition of bacon to other dishes can be a good way to enjoy its smoked flavor.
Boneless chicken breasts on the other hand can be relatively boring. There’s no flavor and it is not forgiving when overcooked.
Stuffing a chicken breast with ricotta cheese and smoked bacon is a perfect combination to remedy bland white poultry meat.
If You Prefer Wrapping The Bacon Around Chicken Pieces – Then These Are The Recipes For You:
Smoked Bacon & Ricotta Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 6-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons crumbled cooked smoked bacon – 1 slice of bacon = 1 tablespoon crumbled, cooked bacon
6 fresh basil leaves, rolled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven 375 degrees
Butterfly the chicken by running a sharp knife horizontally through the thickest part of each breast.
Place one hand on top of the breast to stabilize while holding the knife parallel to the work surface while cutting. Do not cut all the way through.
Open the breast so both halves can lie flat. Season the exposed surface with salt and pepper, then add 1/4 of the ricotta cheese, crumbled smoked bacon, and sliced basil leaves to each breast.
Fold the breasts in half so the cheese mixture is surrounded by chicken breast on the bottom, back and top. Secure with long wooden toothpicks, if desired.
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-safe skillet. Once hot, add the stuffed chicken breasts to the pan to sear.
Once browned on the bottom, carefully turn each breast over and repeat on the other side. Season top and bottom with salt and pepper, if desired, during this process.
Place skillet in preheated oven and cook until an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted, approximately 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover until ready to serve.
A few minutes before removing the chicken from the oven, start making the balsamic glaze. Heat balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat.
Stir while heating until the vinegar is reduced to about 1/3 of its original volume. It will form a thick, syrupy consistency when it is ready.
To serve, place a stuffed chicken breast on each plate and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Pairs well with a mixed green salad and roasted vegetables.
Here are some ideas:
- Excite Your Palate With Roasted Vegetables – with recipes
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with a Apple Maple Vinaigrette
- Corn Salad with Queso Fresco
- Broccoli Bacon Salad with Dried Cherries and Sharp Cheddar Cheese
More Deliciously Yummy Recipes
- 10 Healthy Winter Vegetables – includes recipes
- 4 Ingredients You Can’t Do Without In Cooking & Baking
- A Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Add Cilantro Ginger Turmeric To Recipes For Frequently Less Pain
- African Drumsticks
