Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breasts

There was a point in my cooking career (many moons ago) that I always wanted to stuff food in food.  I'm not talking about anything as interesting as a turducken, but I had a small obsession with stuffing chicken and beef with cheese and vegetables.  It started out as an interesting concept but my family quickly lost enthusiasm.  The final nail in the coffin was steak wrapped around asparagus and feta.  I had gone too far!

I must have been traumatized because I had not stuffed another piece of meat until this very day.  I found inspiration in a post on a healthy eating Facebook page.  A gal had posted a picture of this delicious looking stuffed chicken breast.  Instantly the memories of the past flooded back, but this time I had no one to stop me, John and Roman would be the next victims of my meat stuffing crusade!

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breasts
4 chicken breasts
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 tomato, diced
3/4 cup chopped spinach
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
2T chili powder
1t chipotle powder
1t salt
1t pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.  To create a pocket for the filling, butterfly each of the chicken breasts by slicing the breast in half, running the knife parallel to the cutting board, but not cutting completely though.

In a small bowl mix together ricotta cheese, tomato and spinach.  Spoon the mixture into the pockets in the chicken breast, diving the cheese mixture between the chicken.  Secure the chicken breast closed using toothpicks.

On a plate combine panko bread crumbs, chili powder, chipotle powder, salt and pepper.  Stir until well combined.  Add a splash of water to the beaten eggs and brush over both sides of the chicken breasts.  Coat each chicken breast in bread crumbs and set on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

If you want to make this a freezer meal, simply wrap the stuffed but un-breaded chicken breasts in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer bag.  To serve, thaw the chicken, coat with egg and bread crumbs, and bake!  Easy peasy!