Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Stuffed chicken breasts can have many different types of fillings and therefore the variations are endless. This uses pancetta which is often called Italian bacon and often comes rolled (rotolata) so that the fat and muscle spiral around each other. I purchase mine at the Deli counter at Sobey's. 

4 chicken breasts
8 slices of pancetta
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
2/3 cup mushrooms, chopped
4 - 5 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 cup spinach
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Butterfly each chicken breast and pound a thin with a meat tenderizer. To butterfly the chicken, carefully slice the breast in half width-wise almost to the other edge. Keep that edge intact and open the breast along the "fold." Place the chicken in a ziploc bag or cover with plastic wrap and pound thin. I don't have a meat tenderize so I pound it with my rolling pin. Put these aside for now. 

In large frying pan heat 2 tbsp of olive oil, add onion, garlic and mushrooms, saute on medium heat for 5 minutes, add sun dried tomatoes and spinach, cook until spinach starts to wilt and remove from heat.

Served with sauteed kale and spinach.

Place flattened chicken on cutting board and top with two pieces of pancetta, add about a 1/4 cup of sauteed vegetables on top of pancetta. Roll chicken up and secure seam with 2 tooth picks. Place stuffed chicken breast on lined cookie tray seam side down. Drizzle each chicken breast with lemon and olive oil and sprinkle top with salt and pepper.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. Enjoy!