This post is sponsored by Premio Foods. If you love easy chicken dishes that you can whip up on busy nights but also serve at your next dinner party, make sure to also check out my Sheet Pan Chicken with Spicy Potatoes, my Chicken Cacciatore and my Roasted Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts stuffed with chorizo!
A chicken dinner involving bacon AND chorizo? Sign me up! Chicken breasts can dry out quickly, especially when cooked in the oven. Wrapping them in bacon not only ensures they cook up tender and juicy, but it also infuses them with the bacon flavor. And if that wasn’t amazing enough, once you cut into one, you are rewarded with a cheesy gooey filling, made with chorizo, cream cheese and Manchego. Seriously, can you think of anything better than that? Next time you are thinking of making chicken for dinner, give these a try! It really takes the chicken breast game to a whole new level.
What is chorizo?
Chorizo is a heavily seasoned pork sausage, used a lot in Spanish and Mexican cuisines. It has a distinctive red color and it can be found fresh or cured, depending on the variety. Spanish chorizo is usually seasoned with smoked paprika, which gives it not only a vibrant red color but also a bold smoky flavor. There are sweet and spicy varieties. While you can cook with Spanish chorizo – often added to dishes like soups, paellas and stews – it is mostly eaten as-is, as part of a charcuterie board or as tapas. Mexican Chorizo, on the other hand, is a spicy ground sausage, sold fresh. It is also heavily seasoned and its red color generally comes from red peppers. You will find it with the other raw meats and fresh sausages, either loose or in a casing. Since it is sold raw, it must be cooked before serving. It can be used in tacos, burritos, burgers, chilis, empanadas and lots of breakfast dishes.
Which chorizo brand should I buy?
My favorite chorizo is from Premio Foods. While they don’t specify Mexican or Spanish, it is a fresh sausage, so you would use it for this recipe and wherever else Mexican chorizo is called for. Premio’s chorizo is rich but not too overpowering, featuring a delicious combination of chili and garlic. Only slightly spicy, it is very versatile and can be used in a lot of delicious dishes!
Ingredients for Chorizo Stuffed Chicken Breast
To make this recipe, you will need:
Chicken Breasts Chorizo – I buy Premio. Bacon – The regular kind. Thick bacon won’t crisp up as nicely in the oven! Onion Garlic Parsley Cream Cheese Manchego Cheese Canned Tomatoes Sherry Vinegar Olive Oil Salt Pepper Smoked Paprika
How to butterfly chicken breasts
In order to stuff a chicken breast, we must first butterfly it. Butterflying, in cooking terms, means to cut it horizontally almost entirely, in a way that the chicken opens like a book. This is how I do it:
Using a paring knife, I carefully slice the chicken breast horizontally, starting on the thicker side – stopping about a 1/4-inch from the opposite side. Open the chicken like a book, so it lies flat.
I find that using a paring knife gives me more control, but you can certainly use a Chef’s knife instead. Just make sure it is sharp!
How to make Chorizo Stuffed Chicken Breast
Stuffing chicken breasts can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Once you get the butterflying technique down, all you gotta do is spread the filling, roll and wrap the chicken with bacon. The chicken is cooked in the oven, no need to brown in a pan. I still recommend you check the internal temperature with a kitchen thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked through. Let’s make these bad boys:
Start by making the filling. Take the chorizo out of its casings and brown in olive oil, over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to break it into smaller bits. When cooked through, remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Drain most of the fat, leaving only a few teaspoons in the skillet. Sauté the onion and garlic until softened. Add back the chorizo and pour the sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits that might have stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the vinegar has evaporated. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. Once the chorizo mixture has cooled, combine with the cream cheese, Manchego cheese, diced tomatoes and chopped parsley. Reserve. Butterfly the chicken breasts, set them in between two sheets of plastic wrap, and pound them to a 1/4-inch thickness. Season with salt, pepper and just a little smoked paprika. Spread the filling over each chicken breast and roll lengthwise. Wrap each breast with 3-4 slices of bacon, securing with toothpicks. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until the bacon is crispy and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. To make these even more delicious, you can baste them with the drippings from the pan.
Can I make stuffed chicken breast ahead?
You can make the filling up to 2-3 days ahead and even stuff and wrap the chicken the day before. However, for the ultimate juiciness, I would bake the stuffed breasts right before serving!
Can I freeze uncooked stuffed chicken breast?
If your chicken was fresh when stuffed – meaning it wasn’t frozen then defrosted – and it didn’t stay stuffed and uncooked for more than a day, then yes. Refreezing previously frozen food is safe, despite popular opinion, but it can change the texture and flavor of foods. So for best results, only freeze if the chicken wasn’t previously frozen. When ready to serve, let it thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
How to serve chorizo chicken breast
This dish goes great with mashed potatoes or steamed rice. If you want to keep it low carb, you can serve it with side of veggies – like green beans – or a light salad.
More delicious chicken recipes:
Oven Roasted Chicken, Sausage and PotatoesThe Crispiest Fried ChickenGuava BBQ Pulled ChickenChicken Thighs with Creamed CornCashew ChickenChicken and Chorizo Enchiladas
Bacon crispiness: If after 45 minutes, the chicken is cooked through but the bacon is not crispy enough, you can pop the breasts under the broiler to crisp up the bacon. If you continue baking normally until the bacon is perfect, the chicken might overcook and the results won’t be as juicy. Make ahead chorizo filling: The filling can be made ahead and refrigerated for 2-3 days. Make ahead stuffed chicken breasts: The breasts can be stuffed, wrapped in bacon and then refrigerated overnight or up to 1 day. Freezing: You can freeze the uncooked stuffed breasts, in an airtight container, for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, let them thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake as directed.
Smoked Paprika Paring knife Meat Tenderizer
