You may be familiar with Hasselback potatoes—potatoes stuffed with a range of flavoring ingredients. This recipe takes that versatility and improves it, by replacing the potatoes with chicken. There’s a wide range of possibilities here; consider this recipe a starting point, from which you can readily branch out.
STUFFED HASSELBACK CHICKEN
Category: Dinner
Calorie Count: 602
Macronutrient ratio: Carb-induced calories—6%
Protein: 46 grams Carbohydrates: 8 grams Total Fat: 41 grams
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1/4 cup olives sliced
- 1/4 cup Kale Avocado Pesto separate recipe
- 6 ounces mozzarella cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Green Beans
- 1 pound green beans trimmed
- 1/4 cup butter or bacon fat makes a great substitute
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 F. As the oven preheats, slit 5-7 small slits into each chicken breast, putting each slit roughly ½ inch apart, taking care not to slice too deeply into each breast (you want to take care not to slice through, as you need the integrity of the breast).
- Season each piece with salt and pepper. Give that a moment, turning instead to your stuffing ingredients. In a bowl, combine your sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and pesto. Set aside, slicing your mozzarella so you have one slice for each chicken slit.
- Stuff each chicken slit with a slice of mozzarella and a bit of the tomato-olive-pesto mixture, rationing so you're using roughly a quarter of your mixture in each chicken breast. Place each chicken breast on one side of a large baking sheet.
- Place your green beans on the other half of the large baking sheet, drizzling with the butter (or bacon fat), lemon juice, and seasoning according to your preferences with salt and pepper.
- Bake 20-25 minutes, using a digital thermometer to ensure that the thickest part of each chicken breast has reached 165 F and the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.
Notes
While I fully believe this recipe is incredible as is, I've also tasted some pretty delicious variations, so feel free to made changes as you see fit.
Tools Needed:
- Cutting board
- Sharp knives (several, so you don't mix your poultry knife)
- Bowl
- Large baking sheet
- Digital thermometer