Better Chicken Breast

Michaelann Dykes from Front Porch Pantry shows you how to make a better chicken dinner with this recipe for tender grilled chicken breasts.

Stuffed Grilled Chicken

Brine:
3 Cups Water
¼ Cup Sea Salt
⅛ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Chicken Powder

Chicken:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 8 ounces marinated in brine recipe for 24-48 hours (brine recipe to follow)
Canola Oil Pan Spray
2 teaspoons of house seasoning (recipe to follow)
8-10 slices of cooked bacon
8-12 ounces of Monterrey Jack cheese
1-2 seeded Jalapeños
1 small purple onion
1 bunch of green onions

Rinse chicken breasts and marinate in brine for 24-48 hours.  Sauté jalapeños, purple onion, and green onions, set aside.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Remove the chicken and dry with paper towels.  Preheat your griddle pan for 15 – 20 minutes.  Simply grill chicken breasts to sear perfect grill marks by angling the breast from left to right (10 am to 4 pm / 2 pm – 8 pm) for 3 minutes per each turn. Cut a horizontal slit into the side of the chicken breast, do not penetrate through the seam.  Season the chicken inside and out with house seasoning.  Stuff the chicken with cooked bacon, sautéed peppers and onions, and Monterrey Jack cheese.  Bake chicken breast for 20 minutes until inside temperature reaches 165°.  Served with Chipotle Pesto Cream Sauce (recipes to follow.)

Variations:
Italian Pancetta and Gouda Stuffed Chicken Breast with Basil Pesto with Cream Sauce
Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breast with Roasted Bell Pepper Pesto Cream Sauce
Tuscan Prosciutto and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast with Wild Mushroom Pesto Cream Sauce

Front Porch Pantry’s White Wine Sauce

2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoons of flour
2 cups of ½ and ½ cream (room temperature)
1 cup of heavy whipping cream (room temperature)
½ cup of chicken broth
1 egg yolk
¼ cup of white wine (can substitute Champagne)

Melt butter and slowly add the flour stirring constantly.  Whisk in half and half, heavy cream, broth and wine.  Cook sauce for 5 minutes, let cook, and quickly whisk in egg yolk.

Chipotle Pesto

1 - 2 chipotle peppers in Adobe sauce
½ cup grated Romano cheese
¼ Pine Nuts
2 cloves of fresh garlic
½ cup of frozen corn
1 teaspoon of house seasoning
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 pinch of dried or fresh thyme
½ cup of olive oil

Combine the chipotle peppers, Romano cheese, pine nuts, garlic, house seasoning, oregano, cilantro and thyme in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse a few times.  Add olive oil and pulse until smooth.  Add corn and bread crumbs.

Front Porch Pantry’s House Seasoning:

3 Parts Sea Salt
2 Parts Garlic Powder
1 Part Fine Pepper
1 Part Coarse Pepper