Under $10 Pepperoni Stuffed Chicken
Servings Per Recipe: 10
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 30 min. Total: 45 min.
Cost per serving: $.90
Total Recipe cost: $8.95
5 boneless (approx. 5), skinless chicken breasts – cost $3.99
8 oz.mozzarella cheese – cost $2.29
1.5 oz. (approx. 24 slices) pepperoni – cost $0.95
2 large egg – cost free since I have backyard laying hens
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour – cost $.66
1 1/4 cup bread crumbs – cost $.77
1 cup vegetable oil – cost $1.45
to taste salt and pepper – cost $0.15
Prep Day: Trim the chicken breasts of any large clumps of fat that may be still attached. Slice each breast in half diagonally to create two diamond-like shaped pieces. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a pocket into the side of each breast piece. This can be slightly tricky on thinner pieces so be careful. Be sure not to cut all the way through the meat but rather just into one side so that the fillings will stay in. Stuff each piece of chicken with 1/2 oz. of cheese and about 4 slices of pepperoni. Lightly season each piece with salt and pepper. Set the stuffed chicken aside. Place in freezer bag. Keep eggs in fridge until serve day. Bag up bread crumbs and put in freezer bag with chicken. Freeze.
Serve Day: Thaw. Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place flour in a shallow dish, set aside. Beat eggs in a different shallow dish, set aside. Place bread crumbs in another shallow dish, set aside.
One by one, coat each piece of chicken in the flour, then the egg then the bread crumbs. Use your hands so that you can keep the open side of the pocket pinched closed and keep the fillings in. The flour helps the egg stick and the egg keeps the bread crumbs in place.
Begin to heat a large skillet with vegetable oil over medium/high heat. Test the oil in the skillet to see if it is hot enough by dropping a small pinch of bread crumbs in. The bread crumbs should sizzle. It is very important that the oil is hot enough or else the breading will soak up a lot of oil and you’ll end up with some really greasy chicken! Place 5 pieces of chicken at a time in the skillet and cook until it is golden brown and crispy on each side. This should take 2-3 minutes.
When you remove the chicken pieces from the skillet, transfer them to the baking sheet and place it in the oven. Finish baking the chicken for about 25 minutes (longer if you have larger pieces). Remove from the oven; check to make sure the chicken is cooked through and serve immediately!
Northerly Nosh 