Yippeee!!! I am now the proud owner of an herb garden thanks to my daughter who diligently waters my plants. OK… maybe that isn’t totally accurate. It’s actually pots of herbs, but I am still really, REALLY excited. I have a bountiful supply of basil just dying to be used, which was the inspiration for this dish. I have been doing stuffed chicken breasts for years, but this was the first time I tried this particular combination, and I am so pleased with the outcome. Basil, Tomato, and Mozzarella are a match made in heaven in my humble opinion. I am a little weird about my tomato textures though, and could not get myself to use regular tomato slices. I’m sure they would work fine, but sun-dried tomatoes have a depth of flavor that I love. Typically the chicken breasts are dipped in egg before coating with the bread crumbs, but I wanted to experiment with Italian dressing for extra ummppphh in the flavor department. Ohh… one more thing. If you have access to Panko breadcrumbs, please give them a whirl. You can thank me later (wink..wink). They are Japanese breadcrumbs and make for a crispier crust than regular breadcrumbs. If you can’t find them, regular breadcrumbs would be just fine.
Other combinations for the stuffing that would be divine would be: Bacon, Cheddar and Chives, Spinach and Feta Cheese, Ham and Swiss, Goat cheese, Spinach and Sun-dried tomatoes, Mushroom and Swiss…. really, the possibilities are endless. Let me know what other exciting combos you come up with.
Ok.. one last thing… my sweetie decided to squeeze lime juice on his chicken after it was cooked, and it was really good! Try lemon or lime juice for added zing.
Let’s get cooking.
Basil-Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breast
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Kari
Recipe type: main dish
Serves: 5 servings
Ingredients
- 5 Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless
- 10 Ounces Mozzarella, sliced into 10 pieces
- ½ Cup Fresh basil, chopped
- ⅓ Cup Sun-dried Tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp seasoning salt
- 1 Cup Italian dressing
- 11/2 Cups Panko Breadcrumbs
- Cooking spray
- Lime or lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 Degrees F.
- Using a sharp knife, cut a slit into the chicken about ¾ of the way through (long side). Sprinkle both top and slit of chicken with the seasoning salt.
- Stuff the chicken by evenly distributing the Mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and basil into the slits.
- Put the dressing and the breadcrumbs in 2 separate bowls. Coat the chicken in the dressing first (both sides), then repeat the process with the bread crumbs. You want the surface of the chicken well breaded for best results. I like to use toothpicks to hold the chicken together.
- Place the chicken on a sheet or cookie pan, sprayed with cooking spray. Also, spray the top of the chicken (this helps with browning).
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until the chicken has an internal temp of 165 Degrees F.
- I love this chicken with mashed potatoes and sautéed veggies.
- Enjoy!
Devotion For The Day:
Where’s my Joy?
Today is one of those days where 10 minutes out of being out of bed, I was ready to get back in and start the day over. It’s truly my fault. I know better than to get up and immediately jump into mommy mode. I know that a few minutes by myself to have my devotion and then face the day makes all the difference in my attitude. Anyway, this morning, I set myself up to fail. 10 minutes into a parenting struggle, I retreated to my corner to see what words of wisdom the bible could offer me. I actually laughed out loud when I read today’s verse. If only I had read it 20 minutes before! Oh well… better late than never. I found myself reminding myself of these words quite a few times today.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Polly Kago
Am so proud of you gal. Ok, this recipe is Devine,. Looks so good on the picture, i cant wait to actually taste it on our next visit lol!
Polly Kago
I tried this recipe and it is absolutely heavenly. Am actually promoting it to everyone who mentions anything about cooking to me, MMmmh good!!! I got some amazing compliments from my hubby and one of our best friend when I served this dish, so go ahead and try it. You will not regret it.
toplatewithlove
I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for checking back in to let me know how it went.