Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Chicken

May I just say, this weather is absolutely breathtaking!! Yesterday Brian and I went to the Cincinnati Blues Festival and we danced the night away. If you were there and witnessed that, we’re glad we could provide you with some laughs and you’re welcome!

This weather has brought out our tennis moves and I am happy to say that I have continued with the 30 day challenge by playing tennis about 4 times a week.  It’s been so enjoyable that I think the 30 day challenge is over yet I don’t even care. I have thoroughly enjoyed playing tennis AND posting to the website every week. Thank you TED Talks (see New Year’s Resolution in July).  Along with great weather comes more time spent outdoors. Hanging out in mother nature’s territory is all well and good but this means less time in the kitchen.  For some of you, I’m sure that’s a good thing. For others, well, you would just rather sit indoors and create new recipes. That’s fine by me, but here’s a recipe that allows you to have the best of both worlds.  It’s VERY easy to make to the point that we played a game of tennis while it was in the oven. How’s that for multitasking?

As I’m sure most of you have experienced, chicken can get boring quickly.  I’m the type of person that (spoiler alert) loves flavorful food and refuses to eat bland meals. If I don’t enjoy the taste of something, I won’t waste my time, calories and efforts to eat it. The good news is that I’m not picky. The only food I can honestly say I seriously dislike is blue cheese.  Call it what you want, Gorgonzola or Blue De Gex but it is still blue cheese. Sorry peeps. I know that as an aspiring chef I should love everything in site but I’m only human and something’s gotta give.

As I was saying, chicken falls into the bland category.  Chicken is one of the few foods that if eaten solely by itself is not too enjoyable.  Add a couple of ingredients to it however and you’ve got a savory dish!  This recipe is one that combines a couple food groups I love most with a protein that shouldn’t be taken for granted: vegetables, dairy and chicken. I highly recommend you try this out and don’t be afraid to venture into new ideas.  Think of different ingredients you can use to stuff the chicken.  The world is your oyster and the possibilities are endless.

Serves: 2         Prep time: 15 minutes     cook time: 30 minutes (add about 10 minutes per added chicken breast)
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup frozen broccoli florets
2 oz sliced cheddar cheese
2 tbs condensed cream of broccoli soup
1/2 cup (Italian) bread crumbs
1 tbs melted butter
salt
pepper
tooth picks

Steps
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
1. lay one long piece of Saran (plastic) wrap on an open counter space
2. place the chicken breasts on top of the wrap and fold over the wrap so that it covers the chicken evenly
3. use a mallet to pound the chicken and thin it out. Be sure not to pound it too thin that it tears apart. You want the chicken to still be in one piece. **If you do not have a mallet, use a small pan/skillet.
4. unwrap the chicken and place it on a large plate, and season with salt and pepper
5. spread 1tbs of soup on each breast and follow with the slices of cheese and broccoli
6. in order that the chicken does not fall apart, be sure to wrap it into a tight roll
7. use toothpicks to keep the chicken together
8. place the stuffed chicken into a bowl of breadcrumbs and lightly toss it up and down so that the crumbs cover the chicken evenly
9. place the chicken on an aluminum foil wrapped pan
10. drizzle the melted butter over the chicken
11. bake it in the oven
12. Serve hot and enjoy!