Feta and Bacon Stuffed Chicken with Onion Mashed Potatoes
A delightful dish that satisfies your cravings with its rich flavors.
A delightful dish that satisfies your cravings with its rich flavors.
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 eggs beaten
- 3/4 pound bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/8 tablespoon dried oregano
- 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- 1 cup dry bread crumbs
- 4 potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 sweet onion (such as vidalia) chopped
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- Carbohydrate 110.235815388513 g
- Cholesterol 343.009513167387 mg
- Fat 80.54573762985 g
- Fiber 9.06968765716217 g
- Protein 65.3466357745139 g
- Saturated Fat 33.6730524243112 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (699g)
- Sodium 2498.89545483873 mg
- Sugar 101.166127731351 g
- Trans Fat 8.64533402084637 g
- Calories 1436 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned but still soft.
- Reserve the bacon grease in the skillet, and cool the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Once cool, mix the bacon together with the feta cheese, 3 tablespoons of sour cream, oregano, and black pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
- Lay a chicken breast flat onto your work surface.
- Use the tip of a sharp boning or paring knife to cut a 2-inch pocket in the chicken breast.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Spoon the bacon mixture into the pockets.
- Pour the flour, egg, and bread crumbs into separate, shallow dishes.
- Gently press the chicken breasts into the flour to coat.
- Dip each into the beaten egg, then press into bread crumbs.
- Reheat the bacon grease over medium heat.
- Brown the chicken breasts on both sides in the hot fat, about 2 minutes per side.
- Reserve the bacon grease in the pan.
- Place the breasts on a baking dish, and bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink and the filling is hot, 20 to 25 minutes.
- An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
- Meanwhile, place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
- Drain.
- While the potatoes are boiling, cook the onion in the remaining bacon grease over medium heat until very tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are done, mash together with the onion, butter, and remaining 3 tablespoons of sour cream.
- Serve the chicken breasts accompanied by the mashed potatoes.
Coordinating the stovetop sear and the oven finish requires careful attention to the internal thermometer reading so the poultry reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit without drying out the exterior crust. When preparing this dish ahead of time, assemble the stuffed and breaded chicken breasts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them individually before transferring them to an airtight freezer bag for storage up to one month. Thaw the frozen chicken completely in the refrigerator overnight before attempting to fry and bake, because cooking frozen breaded meat directly causes the outer crumbs to burn before the cold dairy filling heats through. Utilizing leftover components requires storing the chicken and potatoes in separate containers to maintain crispness, reheating the poultry in a 350-degree oven rather than a microwave to preserve the breading's crunch while gently melting the interior cheese.
Maximizing Efficiency with Rendered Fat
Retaining the rendered bacon grease from the initial skillet phase provides the primary cooking fat for both browning the poultry and softening the sweet onions, which eliminates the need for additional oils and builds deeply savory depth across every component of the meal.
- If the breadcrumb coating slips off during the initial pan-fry, ensure the dipped chicken breasts are gently patted dry of excess moisture before dredging in flour.
- When onions begin to brown too quickly while rendering down in the skillet, lower the burner heat and add a tablespoon of water to steam-soften the alliums without scorching the remaining bacon solids.
- Drain boiled potatoes thoroughly in a colander for at least five minutes before mashing to prevent excess moisture from yielding a watery purée.
