Lemon-Dill Sauce Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

• 5 slices bacon
• 1 shallot, chopped
• nonstick cooking spray
• 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ¾ cup ricotta cheese
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Step 1

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning it now and then until it’s nicely browned, which should take about 10 minutes. Once done, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and let it cool before chopping. Leave the bacon grease in the skillet, then add the shallot and cook it over medium-low heat until it caramelizes and turns sweet and golden, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 2

While the shallots cook, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly spray a glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Take each chicken breast and carefully cut a pocket down the center, about an inch from the top and stopping about an inch from the bottom. Make a few shallow cuts horizontally across the pocket to help it open up.

Step 3

Mix together the chopped bacon, caramelized shallots, ricotta cheese, and a pinch of garlic powder in a small bowl. Stuff each chicken breast with 2 to 3 tablespoons of this mixture, then place them in the prepared dish.

Step 4

Pop the dish into the oven and bake for 25 minutes. While the chicken starts cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour to make a roux, then slowly add the chicken broth, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in the cream, lemon juice, white wine, and dill, and cook the sauce, stirring gently, until it thickens a bit—about 5 minutes.

Step 5

Once the initial baking time is up, take the chicken out and pour the lemon-dill sauce over it. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.

Step 6

Finally, move the oven rack close to the broiler and broil the chicken for about 3 minutes, just until the tops turn a beautiful golden brown. Then it’s ready to serve!