Goat Cheese, Spinach, and Pepper Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Chicken
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts
- 1 lb soft goat cheese
- 5 cups fresh spinach stems removed
- 5 bell peppers
- 18-20 strips bacon
- 2 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 3 cups broccoli optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Toss broccoli (if using) in salt, black pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Core and halve peppers lengthwise. Lay peppers and broccoli (if using) on two baking sheets, pressing the peppers down so they lay relatively flat.
- Roast vegetables for 20-25 minutes, or until they have begun to brown.
- Remove and set broccoli aside (it’s done). Slice roasted peppers into strips.
- In a large bowl, combine sliced roasted peppers, spinach, goat cheese, garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, and remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix with your hands until all ingredients are mixed and the spices have evenly distributed throughout the filling.
- Slice each chicken breast from the side, taking care not to cut any in half, so that a “pocket” forms.
- Add ¾-1 cup filling to each “pocket”, depending on the size of your chicken breasts.*
- Wrap 3-4 strips of bacon tightly around each chicken breast, tucking the ends underneath. **
- Lay each assembled chicken breast on a baking sheet. Sprinkle 1/8 tsp garlic powder and a pinch of salt onto each.
- Bake at 425F for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- If desired, flip again and broil on high for 3-4 minutes, or until the bacon begins to crisp. Serve with previously-roasted broccoli or your side of choice!
Notes
- *Don’t worry if it looks like your filling is spilling out. The bacon helps keep everything inside, and when the spinach wilts in the oven it will be less bulky.
- **If you need to, you can use toothpicks or broken soaked skewers to hold everything together, but I had no problem because I opened a fresh package of bacon that was still very pliable. If you’re using bacon with solidified fat, you might need these extra tools.