Fajita Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Stuffed chicken has a reputation for being fiddly, and it really is not. You butterfly the breast, rub it with the spice mix, then fill it, fold it back over and pin it shut. Ten minutes of work and then the oven does the rest.
The rub goes on before anything else, inside and out over the opened chicken, so it sits and marinates while you get the filling made. That is the whole trick, the seasoning is on the meat rather than buried in the middle.
The filling is peppers and onions cooked quickly over a high heat so they keep some bite, tossed in the same fajita seasoning, then cooled before it goes near the chicken. Hot filling will melt the cheese before the chicken is even in the pan.
And the blend is worth making rather than buying. It is a handful of spices and a spoon of cornstarch, it takes a minute, and it keeps in a jar for the next time.
Serve it with rice, or sliced into a wrap, and spoon over whatever juices are in the tray.
Preparation Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon fajita seasoning
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
For the fajita stuffing
1 tablespoon oil
1 1/2 bell peppers - sliced
1 onion - sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons fajita seasoning
1 cup shredded cheese
For the fajita seasoning
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne - optional
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
Cut each chicken breast horizontally, halfway through, taking care not to go all the way. It should create a pocket in the chicken breast.
Rub the 1 tablespoon of fajita seasoning over the chicken, inside and out, and set it aside to marinate while you make the filling.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the peppers and onions, and toss them on a high heat for 2 minutes. They should still be crunchy.
Add the fajita seasoning and cook for another 30-40 seconds. Take it off the heat and set it aside to cool.
Spread 1 tablespoon of cheese over one half of a chicken breast, spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the cooled stuffing on top, then add another 2 tablespoons of cheese.
Fold the other half over the top and seal it with toothpicks. Repeat with the rest.
Heat the oil and butter in a pan and sear the chicken on all sides for 2 minutes, until golden.
Wrap the chicken in foil and bake at 180°C for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Rest for 5 minutes, then remove the toothpicks before serving.
A Few Things To Remember
Cool the stuffing properly before it goes into the chicken. Warm filling melts the cheese and makes the whole thing slide apart.
Do not skip the sear. Two minutes a side in the pan is what gives the outside colour, and the oven will not do that for you.
Soak the toothpicks in water first if you are worried about them, and count them so none get left behind.
If you give these a go, let me know how you got on!
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