Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Chicken breasts are stuffed with ham, cheese, bell peppers and onions and then grilled with hardwood smoke. Top it all off with a savory cheese sauce for an unforgettable dinner.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 792kcal
Ingredients
- 3 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ¼ cup diced bell peppers
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Everything Bagel Seasoning
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup diced onion
- ¼ cup diced bell peppers
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 cups cooked rice for serving optional
- fresh parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- Prepare a grill fire to 350° using pecan or hickory for smoke flavor.
- Make a pocket in the center of the chicken breasts by slicing through the center from one end, making a 2- 3 inch slit, not cutting all the way through.
- In a bowl, combine, ham, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup diced onion, 1/4 cup diced bell peppers, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Stuff filling into chicken breasts.
- Place on a baking sheet and brush or spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and Everything Bagel Seasonings.
- Cook chicken over indirect fire with the grill closed for about 25 minutes. Check internal temperature using a digital thermometer in the top of the chicken breast. Cook until chicken reaches 165°.
- Remove to a platter and rest five minutes.
- Prepare the cheese sauce while the chicken is cooking. Melt butter in a skillet and cook 1/2 cup diced onion, 1/4 cup diced bell peppers and the minced garlic clove over medium heat, stirring often until vegetables are softened.
- Add flour and whisk to combine. Continue to stir and cook about 2- 3 minutes. Whisk in milk.
- Add cream cheese and whisk until fully melted. Lower to simmer and mix in 2 cups shredded cheddar until fully combined and sauce is smooth. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Drizzle about a tablespoon of sauce over each chicken breast and move to a cutting board. Slice into thin slices, cutting across the wide part of the chicken, so that the filling stays inside the pocket.
- Serve sliced chicken over rice with additional cheese sauce. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Store leftover cheese sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Reheat sliced chicken in a skillet coated in olive oil over medium heat. Turn carefully after about 2 minutes to heat from both sides.
Reheat cheese sauce in a small pan with about 1 tablespoon of milk, whisk and cook over low heat until heated through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 792kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 1274mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g