Robbie's Recipes: Santa Fe Stuffed Chicken like Applebee's®


site search by freefind	Advanced

Santa Fe Stuffed Chicken
like Applebee's®

Serves: 8
Prep. Time: 2:00

8 boned, skinned chicken breast halves
8 oz. block Monterey jack cheese - divided
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 1/2 Tbls. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup melted butter OR margarine
1 Tbls. butter OR margarine
1 Tbls. all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 sm. red bell pepper - seeded, diced
1 sm. green bell pepper - seeded, diced

-Pound chicken with a meat mallet until flat and rectangular shaped; repeat with remaining breasts.
-Cut half of the cheese block into 8 slices; grate the remaining cheese; set aside.
-Wrap each flattened chicken breasts around a slice of cheese; secure with wooden picks or uncooked spaghetti noodles.
-Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, cumin, and pepper.
-Roll the secured chicken pieces in the melted butter and then in the bread crumb mixture.
-Place chicken breasts in a 13" X 9" X 2" baking dish, being careful not to crowd them.
-Drizzle remaining butter over the breasts.
-Refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze to bake later (baking time will be increased by about 5-10 minutes).
-Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
-Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour, whisk in milk, then bring to a simmer.
-Stir in grated cheese, reduce heat, and simmer until thick, stirring constantly so the cheese doesn't burn.
-Place chicken on plates, pour sauce over, and top with diced peppers.

Make It A Meal: Serve with Rice Picante

This is the best chicken I have ever eaten in my life! It always turns out perfect and I feed it to guests and they ALWAYS want seconds!
We loved this recipe. Even my kids loved it which means alot if they eat it! I can't wait to make it for friends.
good "stuff ".
My wife and I really enjoyed this. I know this is an Applebees copy (I've never had it) but while I was eating it, I thought about how good this could be with something more than cheese in the middle. Ham, and swiss instead of Monterey Jack, Leave out the Cumin and you've got a really good Cordon Bleu. Or perhaps mimic Uno's Chicken Spinaccoli. Wrap the chicken around Spinich, Brocolli and Cheese, slice it and server it over Penne Pasta with Pesto (or Alfredo). What makes this one even better is that you can make several servering or versions in one prep freeze it for a quick dinner during a busy work week.
I made this recipe for my Husband and I. He is one of the worlds pickiest eaters and he loved it! So did I! I will make this again often. This was easy to make and a nice change to chicken. We love chicken and eat a lot of it, but were running out of good recipes until I came along this one. Thanks for an awesome easy meal!!