Pepperoni-stuffed Chicken Breasts

I love chicken.  Especially breast meat.  It's so moist and juicy!  But it can also get boring if I make it the same way too many times.  I made Stromboli earlier in the week and I had some things left-over, so I decided to see how they would taste inside a chicken breast. It wasn't hard, didn't take much time, and my family loved it.  Sounds like a hit all around.

Here's what you'll need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 lb thin sliced pepperoni
1/4 lb thin sliced smoked provolone
1/2 c ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper

Combine ricotta with onion, garlic and oregano.  Set aside.

Lay the chicken breast on a cutting board, with the "fat" side toward you.  Use a sharp knife to slice a pocket into the breast.  Season with salt and pepper.

Continue to cut, folding the chicken open like a book as you go, being careful not to cut the whole way through.

Cover with plastic wrap.  Use a meat mallet to flatten out the breast to a uniform thickness of about 1/2 inch.

Remove the plastic.  Place smoked provolone on the chicken.

Top with sliced pepperoni.

Spread with about 2 TBSP ricotta mixture, but not going too close to the edge or the fold.

Fold the breast in half.  Use toothpicks to secure the edges.  Cover with plastic and chill 30 minutes (longer is OK).  This lets the cheese get cold, and helps prevent it from seeping out when cooking.

Heat 1 TBSP oil (or bacon grease) in a heavy skillet.  I used cast iron.  When the oil is hot (smoking), add the chicken, being careful not to crowd the pan.

Cook the chicken 2-3 minutes, until it is seared and easily releases from the skillet.  Turn and cook 2-3 minutes more.

Put the chicken in a 400 degree oven to finish cooking, until juices run clear, about 20 minutes.

Let the chicken rest 5-10 minutes, to allow the cheese to cool a little.  Serve with pasta or loaded mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!