My mom has been making this dish for as long as I can remember, and it's still one of her specialties. It's one of those recipes that looks impressive enough to serve when you're entertaining, but it's actually much easier to make than you'd think.
I remember making these not long after my husband and I got married when we hosted a dinner party at our house. One of our guests looked at them and jokingly called them "footballs" because of the way the bacon wrapped around the chicken. The name stuck, and we've laughed about it ever since. I promise they taste much better than a football.
This has always been a family favorite, and I hope it becomes one in your home too.
Note: I make these with turkey ham and turkey bacon because I keep kosher.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices Havarti cheese
4 slices cheddar cheese
4 slices turkey ham
1 package turkey bacon
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (optional—I use Chef Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic.)
Salt, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Rinse the chicken breasts, pat them dry, and butterfly each one. Season both sides with the Creole seasoning and salt.
On one side of each chicken breast, layer a slice of turkey ham, a slice of Havarti cheese, and a slice of cheddar cheese. Fold the chicken closed and wrap it completely with the turkey bacon. If needed, secure the bacon with toothpicks. Turkey bacon isn't as stretchy as traditional bacon, so it usually needs a little extra help staying in place.
Arrange the wrapped chicken breasts on a roasting rack set inside a baking pan. As they cook, the juices will collect in the bottom of the pan, creating a delicious sauce to drizzle over the finished chicken.
Bake for 15 minutes, carefully turn the chicken over, and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the bacon is lightly crisp and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into rounds.
While the chicken rests, pour the pan juices into a small serving bowl, breaking up any larger pieces if necessary. Drizzle the warm juices over the sliced chicken before serving.
Serve with white rice and a simple green salad.
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