This next dish is a meat lovers dream.  Vegans not so much!  This is the perfect meal if you are low carb and lovin’ it, because this is so protein dense, not to mention sinfully delish!  This Bacon Wrapped Chorizo and Cheese Stuffed Chicken, came to me when I was looking for a way to use my two favs, chorizo, and jalapeño poppers, I mean yes I could fill a pepper and call it a day, which is tasty by the way, but I need protein on my diet.   So this was born.

I love that this is baked, and I don’t need breading for this to stay moist, since I am using the bacon to help me achieve perfect tasting chicken.  This is perfect for entertaining and can be prepped a few hours in advance, left on a sheet pan, covered with foil, and placed in the fridge until you want to bake it off!  I love that kind of advance prepping for ease.

I make my own chorizo, if I have time but store-bought is perfectly fine, and I use both. You can use turkey bacon and Neuchâtel, which is lower in fat and calories, I used regular.   I like to use shredded Monterrey Jack, but mozzarella would be perfect in this.  You can play with this and make it your own.  No rules, just right…  This works best with slightly thinner chicken breasts pounded to make them cook faster.

I hope you give this a try, it is truly a super easy, super delish, meal!

Sinfully,

Susan xoxo

Bacon Wrapped Chorizo and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

• Servings: 4-5
• Time: 45 min.
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

  * You can vary the cheese combination, using mozzarella, full fat cream cheese, or a Mexican blend cheddar.

Credit: CrazySexySavor.com

Ingredients

• Four large thin, skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin (When I sliced mine I actually was able to get about 7 nice sized rolls, and it was plenty of filling)
• 4 oz of cream cheese Neuchâtel or regular
• 3 diced and seeded jalapeños finely chopped
• 3/4 lb. of chorizo sausage out of casings, if they are encased
• 1 clove of garlic diced
• 1 tsp. of onion salt
• Seasoning salt for the outside of the chicken breasts
• 8-10 slices of bacon or turkey bacon
• 1 cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

Directions

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. If your chicken breasts are not thin, take two pieces of wax paper, place one breast of chicken between the two sheets and using a flat end mallet, begin to pound thin just enough to be able to stuff and roll.
3. In a large mixing bowl add chorizo, diced jalapeños, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to combine.
4. Warm cream cheese in the microwave for 30 seconds to make it easier to spread. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then spread cream cheese generously inside each chicken breast. Next take a generous layer of the chorizo mixture and spread evenly, next top each breast with cheese.  Begin to pull in sides of chicken as you roll from the bottom.  Tightly roll and compact these, and continue until all chicken breasts are rolled.   Season with seasoning salt.  Now depending on the size you will need about 2 pieces of bacon leave bacon whole.  Begin at one end and keep end of bacon underneath as you wrap as tightly as you can, think mummy wrapped!  I like to season the bacon with a generous sprinkling of coarsely ground black pepper, totally optional, but a nice touch to the bacon!   I like to refrigerate these for a bit, but that is optional.  Place bacon wrapped chicken in a cast iron skillet and place in oven for 25 minutes at 400°, then turn up heat to 450° to finish bacon, for another 10-15 minutes.  Check internal temperature with an instant read thermometer,  it should read 165°F.  Remove from oven, let rest covered loosely with foil about 10 minutes, then dig right in and devour!