Today we have a very tasty grilling idea that would make a great family dinner meal or it would be just as at home at a summer dinner party featuring courses from the backyard grill. We sometimes make a baked version of this recipe but I was inspired to wrap this great chicken dish in bacon by a recent photo by my blogging buddy David Olsen over at A Bachelor and His Grill, where there is always something tasty and grill-marked to be found. Mediterranean flavors are quite popular at our house so the result was a terrific success with everyone cleaning their plates.
4 large boneless chicken breasts
Mix together:
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup chopped fresh spinach
½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (oil packed)
2 tbsp fresh oregano (or 2 tsp dried oregano)
½ cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives
½ tsp cracked black pepper
Butterfly the chicken breasts by laying them flat on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut half way through the meat horizontally, stopping at about ½ inch from the edge and before you cut them completely in half. Fold the breasts open and season with salt and pepper. Share the feta, olives, oregano and sun-dried tomatoes evenly among the 4 breasts and fold the other half of the breasts back over the filling.
16-20 slices of good quality smoked bacon
To bacon wrap the chicken breasts, place 4 or 5 slices of bacon side by side on a cutting board, letting them overlap only slightly. place one of the stuffed breasts at one end and roll the entire breast in the bacon. Secure with wooden toothpicks if necessary but be sure to remember to remove them before serving.
Grill over medium-low to medium heat turning occasionally to brown all sides, until the bacon is evenly browned on all sides and the center of the chicken breasts reaches 180 degrees F. If you are using particularly large chicken breasts and the outside browns too quickly, you may want to finish them by open roasting them on a wire rack in the oven at 350 degrees F. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
