This is a delicious recipe that reminds me of Amma’s fresh tomato, basil and mozzarella plates she would make on hot summer days by the pool. Boneless chicken breasts are marinated in a simple oil and vinegar dressing and stuffed with fresh basil leaves, mozzarella and juicy tomato slices, then wrapped in bacon and cooked to a delicious crispness.  These flavors are amazing together 🙂  

Ingredients:

• 4  Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 8  Fresh Basil Leaves (you should be able to find a basil plant at your local grocery store)
• 16 oz Pkg of Galbani Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Log (make sure you are using fresh mozzarella)
• 2  Cups of a Garlic Vinaigrette
• 2  Plump Tomatoes (I use tomatoes off the vine or Plum tomatoes)
• 12 Slices of Thick Cut Bacon
• Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 475*

1. Trim any visible fat from your chicken breasts and butterfly cut it.  Starting at the fattest end place your knife in the middle of the breast and cut almost to the other side but leave the other side in tact.
2. Open the butterfly chicken and lightly use the flat side of a meat mallett to flatten your chicken to about 1″
3. Place the butterflied chicken in a deep dish and cover with the garlic vinaigrette, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight
4. Cut your tomatoes into 1/4″ slices, you will need 8 slices, for plum tomatoes you will be cutting them lengthwise so you have longer slices
5. Cut your mozzarella into 1″ slices you will need 12 slices
6. Cook your bacon for 1 minute in the microwave. Just put a piece of paper towel on a large plate and lay your bacon on the plate in a single layer, cover with another piece of paper towel and cook on high for one minute
7. Lay 3 slices of your bacon on your work surface horizontally
8. Take 1 butterflied chicken breast and lay flat on top of your bacon this time horizontally
9. Lightly pepper the inside of the chicken breast
10. Take 2 large basil leaves and place on one side of the chicken breast (not on top of each other, you want to cover as much of the one side of chicken as you can)
11. Place 2 of your tomato slices on top of your basil
12. Take 2 of your mozzarella slices and place on top of the tomatoes
13. Fold the other side of your chicken breast over the filling
14. Now take your bacon and bring the bacon slices together, wrapping it around the chicken breast
15. Place in a 9X13″ pan seam side down
16. Do the same with your other 3 chicken breasts
17. You can use toothpicks to hold your chicken together but I find that the bacon will keep it together as it cooks, just be sure that you have it snug around the chicken and that it is seam side down in your baking dish
18. Place in your preheated 475* oven and cook for 30 minutes
19. Place a slice of mozzarella on top of the chicken and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly
20. Remove from oven and let rest for few minutes before serving