I discovered this recipe a few months ago, and was amazed at how delicious it was for less than five minutes of prep time. I love mozzarella cheese, and chicken is a staple in my house, so it was bound to be a winner! The first time I made this recipe, I used store-bought roasted red peppers, but this time I made my own and they were also very easy to make. I made the peppers over the weekend, and they kept well in the refrigerator for two days until I was ready to make the chicken dish.
Luckily my husband loved the meal as well, since I plan to add this into the regular rotation! I served it with a simple side of roasted broccoli (I use a version of this recipe, but without lemon juice and with garlic salt or a Parmesan seasoning).
Mozzarella, Roasted Red Pepper, and Basil Stuffed Chicken
(from Barbells and Bellinis)
Ingredients
4 large chicken breasts
8 0z. fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 slices (it's easiest if you buy a fresh mozzarella log)
6 oz. roasted red peppers (jarred or make your own)
fresh basil leaves
approx. 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
approx. 2 tbsp grated parmesan
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice chicken breasts in half through the long side of the breast, stopping just short of the other side, to butterfly the breast. Open up each chicken breast and lay them in a greased baking dish or on a greased baking sheet.
3. Place 1/4 of the roasted red peppers, basil, and one slice of fresh mozzarella on the inside of each butterflied chicken breast.
4. Fold the top half of the chicken back over, and sprinkle the top of each breast with Italian seasoning.
5. Bake chicken for approximately 30-35 minutes, until the juices run clear.
6. Take the chicken out of the oven and set the oven to broil on high. Place the remaining slices of mozzarella on top of each chicken breast, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
7. Broil for approximately 5 minutes, until the mozzarella is brown and bubbly. Enjoy!
Serves 4 (you can easily cut this recipe in half or double it, as desired)
