Serves 4 | Prep time: 20 min | Cooking time: 45 min
4 large chicken breast
1/2 lb bacon
8 oz of chive and onion
cream cheese
1 C shredded mild cheddar
4 TBS unsalted butter
1 small can chopped green
chiles
1/2 C chopped peanuts
pinch salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350°. Cover
cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
Cut bacon into 1 in. pieces
and place in large skillet on medium high heat. Stir occasionally until fully
cooked through. When finished, set aside to cool.
While bacon is cooking,
mix cream cheese and shredded cheddar in
a small bowl. Set aside.
Put your chicken breast on a
chopping board and, with your hand flat on top of it, use a sharp knife to
slice into one side of the breast, starting at the thicker end and ending at
the thin point. Be careful not to cut all the way through to the other side.
Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
Once bacon has cooled enough
to touch without burning your hand, layer on top of cream cheese inside of the
pocket.
Use remainder of cream
cheese mixture to spread an additional layer on top of bacon.
Pull the top part of the
chicken breast forward to close the pocket, securing with toothpicks.
Place chicken breasts on
prepared cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper.
Melt butter in microwave
using 30 second increments. Brush half of the butter over the chicken breasts.
Bake chicken at 350° for 30
minutes.
While chicken is baking,
chop peanuts.
Add green chiles and half of
the peanuts to remainder of melted butter and stir
.
When chicken is done baking,
remove from oven and top with green chile mixture.
Sprinkle the last of the
peanuts over the green chile mixture.
Bake chicken at 350° for
additional 15 minutes.
Serve immediately.
