Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

Jessie, you're going to love this chicken - it is fast, easy, and just a little spicy. It's pretty healthy, too, if you use low fat cheese and bake the chicken rather than fry it.

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts
2 small jalapenos, seeded and diced
1/3 of a small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 oz. low fat cream cheese
1 tbsp milk
1/2 cup low fat cheddar or pepper jack cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 slices of bacon

Directions

Place each chicken breast on a cutting board and put your (non-cutting) hand on top of it. Cut through the edge nearly through to the other edge, then open it wide like butterfly wings (this is called "butterflying" the meat). Using a mallet, pound out the butterflied meat until it is thinner. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and oil a cooking pan.

Stir together the cream cheese, milk, cheddar, and jalapenos. Spread half of the mixture onto one side of each chicken breast. Place half of the pepper strips on each breast. Fold it in half and pound the edges together with a mallet so that it holds together better.

Stick a few toothpicks through the edges of the meat so it stays together while cooking, and the filling doesn't leak out. Wrap a slice of bacon around each breast. Heat a frying pan to medium heat, and brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Place in the oiled pan and pour 2 tbsp of water over the chicken. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is firm and no longer pink. We ate this with mashed potatoes and steamed zucchini, and it was great!

Serves 4.