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Hungry?
Mad hungry for something
savory…
smokey….
crispy…
and stuffed with cream cheese?
You are!
Me too.
I came across this recipe for Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken while reading a Taste Of Home magazine a few weeks ago.
As soon as I read the title, I knew I was in.
Then after reading the ingredient list which included
Smoked Paprika and Chipotle Chile Peppers….I was sold.
I have just recently been introduced to both of these and
AM IN LOVE WITH THEM.
Truly, I may want to marry them.
Or at the very least keep them on hand in my pantry at all times.
Let’s make this chicken before I write anything else really lame and unpoetic and dumb like “I want to marry smoked paprika.”
Seriously. I need help.
Help me.
Rhonda.
Smokey Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Time: 45 minutes hands on + 20 minutes baking
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe from Carolyn Kempe (Philly Finalist)
Filling:
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C ham, chopped into thin shreds
2 green onions, chopped
1 T minced chipotle pepper in adobe sauce
1/2 t salt
1/2 t smoked paprika
4 chicken breasts
1/3 C flour
1 egg, beaten
1 C panko bread crumbs
1/4 C canola oil
There are a few pantry ingredients in this recipe that may be new to you…trust me on this one.
They are worth getting to know, love and keep on hand.
All of them can be found at your local grocery store.
I wouldn’t want to send you on a wild goose chase or anything!
Wild goose doesn’t even taste that good.
Or so I hear……
Let me give you a little introduction so you know what you are looking for when you are buying ingredients for this
FABULOUS chicken.
Smoked Paprika has a WONDERFUL smoky smell and taste. It adds a lot of depth to this dish.
Panko bread crumbs can usually be found in the Oriental Foods section of your grocery store. What’s the difference between Panko breadcrumbs and regular bread crumbs, you might ask?
The Panko variety are baked before they are packaged and sold. This results in a crispier, more hearty coating to any dish.
Love them.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobe Sauce. This beautiful product can be found on the Mexican Food aisle of your grocery store.
Here is where we find the heat in this recipe. It’s a wonderful, smoky and flavorful heat. You will only be using 1 T of the contents of this can. I put the rest of mine in a gladware container and popped it in the freezer for further use.
Ok! Now that we have all been introduced, let’s get make this chicken shall we?
1. Toss all filling ingredients into your stand mixer, or into a small mixing bowl. Beat until well combined.
2. Lay your chicken out on a large cookie sheet. Using a long sharp knife, cut a pocket in each chicken breast starting at the thickest part of the breast.
3. Open up the pocket…
and stuff it with the filling.
It’s fine to fill them quite full. The cream cheese will seep out of the pocket just a bit when baked….but do not dismay! It makes a yummy little crusty bite of heaven. Something to look forward to!
4. Take some toothpicks and fasten the cut side of the chicken together.
5. Dip each stuffed chicken breasts into the beaten egg, then the flour, then the panko bread crumbs being sure that all sides are coated.
6. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot add 1/4 C olive oil. Allow the oil to heat up…
and then add your chicken to the hot pan. If you hear a nice sizzle when the chicken hits the oil….you will know you have the heat just right. Add just a sprinkle of salt at this point, will ya. I don’t think you’ll be sorry.
7. Let the chicken brown on both sides. Transfer them to a 9×13 pan that has been coated with cooking spray.
8. Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 170 degrees. These handy meat thermometers are so nice to have around. I think I purchased mine at a local grocery store for under $5.
9. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes…then serve!
I haven't tried this recipe yet, however I thought I'd offer a helpful tip for anyone who is making this or any other rolled/stuffed chicken dish. Instead of using toothpicks, you can use spaghetti! It cooks almost all the way during cooking in most dishes, and if not it's just a tiny bit of crunch. Much nicer than missing a tooth pick or having to pick out all those tooth picks after!
Oh my word! This was one of the best chicken dishes I have ever cooked!!! The flavor is out of this world. Thank you so much for sharing this!