Jack Stuffed Chicken w/ French Fried Onions

 I went looking through my bridal shower recipe box again and found this recipe that my maid of honor's mother, Bev, gave me. The recipe looked simple enough and I happened to have all the necessary ingredients and then some. Of course I altered the recipe but mainly because I had lots of extra goodies that needed to be used. The end result turned out to be one of the most deliciously stuffed chicken breasts I have ever had. Seriously, this end recipe was soooooooooo good and I savored every single bite. So thank you Bev so much for introducing this recipe to me, I will make it often.

 

Ingredients:

2 skinless chicken breasts (or one very large chicken breast), pounded to 1/4th inch thickness

1/2 cup shredded jack cheese, divided (I used pepper jack)

1 tbsp of Boursin Garlic and Fine Herb Gourmet Cheese (optional)

2 tbsp fresh spinach leaves, chopped fine; divided

2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped fine; divided

2 tbsp green onions, chopped fine; divided

3 tbsp butter

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/3 cup French Fried Onions, chopped

Directions. 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup jack cheese with 1 tbsp each of Boursin Gourmet Cheese, chopped spinach, chopped basil, and chopped green onions. Combine and mix all ingredients together, set aside.

3. Take pounded chicken breasts and lie them out on a flat surface. Put an equal amount of the cheese mix from step 2 in the centers of each breast. Roll and secure breasts with toothpicks.

 4. Take an 8" by 8" glass baking dish. Add butter to dish and microwave for 30 seconds until melted, remove from microwave. Add dried basil and garlic salt to baking dish and mix around so that spices are evenly distributed in butter. Take secured stuffed breasts and roll them around in the baking dish to fully coat the breasts in butter and spices, then leave them there.

5. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake chicken for 20 minutes. 

6. In a small bowl, combine the french fried onions, the remaining 1/4 cup jack cheese and 1 tbsp each of chopped spinach, chopped basil, and chopped green onions. Mix together to combine ingredients well, set aside.

7. Remove the half baked chicken breasts from the oven, use tongs to flip the chicken breasts in the baking dish. Use a spoon to spoon out the french fried onion mixture equally over the top of each of the half cooked chicken breasts. Pat down the mixture on the chicken breasts to keep it in place. Place chicken back in the oven to continue baking for another 15-20 minutes.

 

8. Remove chicken from the oven when chicken is fully cooked and topping is brown and bubbly. Serve warm and bubbly. Enjoy!