The holidays come with lots of delicious food and precious time with the ones that mean the most to us, all of which bring “tidings of comfort and joy!” Comfort and Joy Chicken knows that about the festive season, which is why it is named after those delightful feelings to let you know it can help bring them to life! And don’t worry, this savory chicken dish filled with a savory cream cheese yumminess won’t bring you stress. Oh, no, no. Leave that for the turkey. It’s easy to put together and will be baked and ready in under an hour! Comfort and Joy Chicken lets you enjoy all the best things about this time of year… delicious flavors included!
Ingredients
- 12 slices bacon
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon chives, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 3 –In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it begins to curl and is partially cooked but still flimsy, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 4 –Place the bacon on a paper-towel-lined plate.
Step 5 –In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese and the chives together.
Step 6 –Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag and use a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to flatten the breasts until they are about 1/4-inch-thick.
Step 7 –Place the thinned chicken onto the prepared baking dish.
Step 8 –Spoon a dollop of the cream cheese mixture onto each of the chicken breasts, keeping at least a 1/2-inch gap from the edges clear.
Step 9 –Starting with the smallest end of each of the coated chicken breasts, roll them up.
Step 10 –With the seam-side of the rolled chicken facing up, wrap pieces of the cooked bacon around it so that the ends of the bacon are tucked beneath the chicken. If it is not secure, use toothpicks to hold them together.
Step 11 –Bake until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees F, about 30 minutes.
Step 12 –Serve immediately with the chives.