Steve's Kitchen: Bacon Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pack cream cheese
1 Jalapeno de-seeded and diced small
bread crumbs
1 egg
flour
butter
16 strips of bacon, cooked well and drained (chopped fine)
Cheddar Cheese (optional)
Mozzarella Cheese (optional)
toothpicks

First, let the cream cheese warm up to room temperature. In a small mixing bowl, add diced jalapeno and bacon to cream cheese and mix thoroughly.
Pound out chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness.
Lay cheeses (if using) on top of each breast.
Next, take your cream cheese mixture, and place equal amounts on each breast.

Now comes the hard part. Carefully roll up the breasts, being careful not to apply too much pressure, because the creamed cheese mixture will squirt out. Secure the rolls with toothpicks.

Next, melt butter in a saute pan. (I used about 1 stick, to brown all four rolls on all sides.)
Take your rolls, coat them in flour, dip them in beaten egg, and roll them in bread crumbs. I used Italian bread crumbs, but panko or regular is fine, I just went with what I had.

Now brown your rolls on each side in your saute pan, taking care not to apply too much pressure, as the filling will squirt out.

Once they are browned on all sides, place in a glass baking pan, about an inch apart. bake in oven for 20-30 minutes at 350.

After it is finished baking, I let mine sit for about 10 minutes, before attempting to slice. (Hopefully, the filling will not be liquefied, so each slice will have some.)

Step by step Pics:

Pound out chicken breasts to about 1/4 inch thickness.

In a mixing bowl, add room temperature cream cheese and bacon. Mix thoroughly.

Next, add your finely diced jalapeno.

Should end up looking something like this.

place sliced cheese, (optional) on each breast.

Next, split mixture into four, and place on chicken breasts.

Gently roll, taking care to not push the stuffing out of the sides.

Secure each roll with toothpicks.

Next, roll each breast in flour,

Then roll them in egg,

then coat them with bread crumbs.

Take a break and remove your extra skin layers on your hands.

Brown each breast/roll on all sides, until they have a nice golden brown color.

Place them in a glass baking pan. Remove your toothpicks. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

This is what you end up with. Now, very important, let the rolls sit for 10-15 minutes before you slice. This allows the melted cheese to set up, and stay in the middle of your slices.