Raspberry-Brie Stuffed Chicken

And! There's more!  Aged Gouda Bacon Stuffed Chicken

But why did I make chicken two ways? Long story. Recipes first, though!

Stuffed Chicken Breast two ways, and krauterbutter veggies (sauce not pictured). 

First thing, get the oven going at 350F and have a cast iron skillet heating for a sear. 

Raspberry-Brie Stuffed Chicken

1 large chicken breast, pounded thin 

2 oz raspberries (frozen works too)

slices of Brie, about 4 oz

julienned fresh mint (I have a pot growing in the kitchen window)

Once you have hammered out your breast, lay the cheese and berries on it. Sprinkle the mint over it, and roll or fold the meat around the stuffing. Fasten closed with skewers or tie with twine. Sear on the top, at least. I got maybe the top two-thirds because of the skewers. 

Chcken, berries, mint, and too much cheese (ok maybe not. But I treated this like the croute and didn't try to really roll it up).

Aged Gouda Bacon Stuffed Chicken

1 large chicken breast, pounded thin

1/3 c chopped crispy cooked bacon (or bacon bits, the real ones)

2-3 oz aged Gouda sliced thin (it crumbles a bit)

sprigs of fresh basil 

Roll your chicken up around the stuffing, secure with your twine or skewers, and sear. 

I prepped both stuffed breasts, then seared at the same time. With the top side up and seam on the bottom, I put them in the oven at 350F in the skillet. I baked them for 30-35 minutes. I moved them to a plate to rest. In the pan, where the cheese had oozed a lot, I returned it to a burner on high and poured  in about 1/2 c heavy cream, and brought the thing to a boil, whisking to break up the lumpy cheese bits. 

Serve the breasts sliced about an inch thick, with steamed veggies, and sauce drizzled over. 

About 3 net carbs per 2 slices of chicken, not counting veg. 

Storytime! 

I am going back to a low-carb diet for a while, I've got about 10-15 lbs I want off. The low-carb worked well for me, and doesn't leave me hangry all the time. Pus, my husband doesn't mind it one bit. We'd gone out the other day and were discussing menu items, one of which was a stuffed chicken breast. The menu didn't say with what, and our imaginations took off. It was like a writing prompt for food. We talked about options most of the way home. He started talking about Brie, and fruit, and nuts (which were omitted here as he can't have them this week). I decided this was going to happen. 

Add to this my finding brie on sale during the weekly grocery shopping, and his love of Brie en Croute, which I can't have, and this version was born. It's a play on the pastry-wrapped cheese with jam, only low-carb. Also, really really good. We are going to try another way, cooking the cheese on top of the berries on top of the chicken. But that's another night and another experiment. 

So why two ways? Well, the Little Man is currently on a special diet to help figure out some health stuff. He can't eat the Brie. He can, though, have the bacon and the hard cheeses, which the Aged Gouda is. And I'm glad I did it both ways, the Gouda Bacon Chicken was amazing. 

I ate a lot. But I stayed on my diet! The First Reader made happy noises and has asked for the other version, and to do this again! It was fun to hammer the heck out of the chicken. And this is so easy, I managed it after coming home from a long workday. 

Enjoy! There are so many variations you could do with this. And, of course, you could serve it with a starchy side. 

Chicken breast stuffed with aged Gouda, bacon, and basil.