Pecan Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This is DELICIOUS! Tweak the stuffing to make it your favorite stuffing. Add veggies to foil packets to make a complete dinner. Source: Don’t Panic Dinner’s in the Freezer by Martinez, Howell & Garcia

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4

Cook Time: 40 min  

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small onion, minced
1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 Teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 cups crumbled toast  (4 slices bread)
3 oz Pecans, chopped (1 cup)
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/4 cup water and/or broth
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoon lemon juice or lime
2 teaspoons melted butter
1 cup Craisins

Directions

Cooking Day Instructions:

Melt butter in a saute pan and cook the celery and onion with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until tender. Stir in crumbled toast, chopped pecans, parsley flakes and water. Remove from heat and set aside.

Flatten chicken breast to 1/8 inch thickness (or have butcher run through tenderizer). Place each chicken breast on center of 12 inch square of heavy duty foil. Brush both sides of breast with lemon juice and some melted butter. Sprinkle breasts with salt and pepper. Spoon stuffing mixture onto center of each chicken breast, folding chicken breast around stuffing. Bring foil up around breasts and close tightly. Freeze foil bundles in a freezer bag. Label and date.

Serving Day Instructions:

Thaw completely, place bundles in pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Open bundles carefully and brush with dripping in bottom of foil. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes longer or until chicken is fork tender.

Hint:

We have found that this recipe makes extra stuffing. You can either increase the number of breasts filled or freeze the extra stuffing in bags to serve as a side dish with this or another meal.

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Submitted by: mrsteapie on May 4, 2010