Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken

Yep, it's as mouth watering as it sounds... I actually heard about this dish at a party and decided to try to replicate it blindly. I made it as an appetizer, but you could obviously leave the thighs whole and serve as a main dish. I also just made it ahead of time, put it in the fridge, then threw them in the oven an hour before my guests came over... Make ahead meals are the best for me because I can make them during D's nap, and then don't have to fumble around with raw chicken or miss any time with her when she is awake! I also had some leftover cooked quinoa I added to the stuffing, it made for an awesome texture and made each bite well rounded! I ended up making this the other night for game night with my sis and her BF. It was a huge hit and super simple!! 

So here it is!

Ingredients:

2lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1lb thick cut bacon
1tsp olive oil
2Tbs mayo
1/2 bag fresh baby spinach (about 2c)
1c cooked quinoa
4oz crumbled Feta
fresh cracked black pepper



Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°, lightly oil a 9x13 inch glass baking dish.

2. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, quickly stir in spinach until wilted remove and set aside to cool.

3. Lay out chicken thighs face down and pound lightly to slightly to flatten. In a medium mixing bowl, mix mayo, spinach, quinoa and feta. Evenly distribute the mixture among the chicken thighs, and season with fresh cracked black pepper. (NOTE: I found the bacon to add plenty of salt to the dish, so I don't recommend adding any extra!)

4. Roll each of the thighs up like a burrito, and wrap each roll in 2 pieces of bacon. Put 3 toothpicks in each roll to hold together. Place in oiled baking dish. (NOTE: If you are making ahead, at this point you can just cover and refrigerate. Then an hour before your guests arrive, preheat oven, uncover and bake as described in step 5.) 

5. Bake uncovered in preheated oven until bacon is brown and chicken is no longer pink, 50-60 minutes. Then turn the oven to a LOW Broil, and cook for just a few minutes more until the bacon is crispy. Remove and let cool 5-10 minutes.

6. If serving whole, remove toothpicks and serve. If serving as a starter or appetizer, leave toothpicks in and with a sharp knife, cut between each toothpick, each roll will be 3 pieces, and put on a serving plate.

And Voila! You have a quick, easy and delicious dish your friends will surely talk about!