Kale- and Fontina-Stuffed Chicken
/Summary: This is a great choice for a quick, delicious weeknight dinner. Butterflied chicken breasts are stuffed with sauteed kale and fontina cheese, wrapped in bacon and then pan-seared until done.
Yield: serves 2
Ingredients:
- 5 large leaves kale (Lacinato if possible), stems removed, leaves chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- six 2" strips thinly sliced fontina cheese
- 2 slices thick cut bacon
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. In a 10" skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant and beginning to soften. Add the chopped kale and season with salt. Stir until kale is wilted but not overly cooked. Add 1-2 teaspoons water if skillet gets dry. Remove from heat when done.
In the meantime, slice the chicken breasts carefully down the middle lengthwise and open like a book. Do NOT cut all the way through.
Pat dry and season with salt. Then stuff each with kale, top with 3 strips Fontina, close, and wrap tightly with bacon. If the kale stuffing looks as though it's going to burst out, pin the chicken shut with a toothpick(s).
In the same skillet in which you cooked the kale, heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken breasts and sear 2 minutes; flip and sear other side. When both sides are lightly golden brown, put skillet into oven and cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each breast reads 160.
Remove from oven, drizzle with pan juices and serve warm.
