Description
Hasselback Chicken is a delicious and visually appealing baked dish featuring tender chicken breasts sliced partially and stuffed with Canadian bacon, zucchini, and melted Monterey jack cheese. This easy-to-make recipe balances savory flavors with a cheesy finish, perfect for a quick and satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound)
- 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning mix
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Fillings
- 3 ounces Canadian bacon (approximately 4 slices), cut into quarters
- 1/2 cup zucchini (approximately 6-8 slices, 1/8 inch thick), cut into half circles
- 1/2 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly spray an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside to prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Slice Chicken: Make 5-6 evenly spaced slices about ¾ inch apart along the top side of each chicken breast, taking care not to slice all the way through so the chicken remains intact as one piece.
- Mix Seasonings: In a small bowl, combine the ranch seasoning mix, dried parsley flakes, salt, and black pepper to create a flavorful seasoning blend.
- Season Chicken: Season each sliced chicken breast generously with the seasoning mix, ensuring the mixture reaches deep into the cuts for maximum flavor infusion.
- Stuff the Chicken: Carefully open each slice in the chicken breasts and insert a piece of Canadian bacon and a slice of zucchini. Depending on the width of the chicken breast, you may be able to fit two slices of each in each cut.
- Arrange in Baking Dish: Place the stuffed chicken breasts, filling side up, into the prepared baking dish to maintain the shape and keep the fillings in place during baking.
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle ¼ cup of shredded Monterey jack cheese evenly over each chicken breast. Gently push some cheese into the openings so that the filling remains visible after baking.
- Bake: Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest part reaches 165°F and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving to let the juices redistribute and ensure moistness.
Notes
- When slicing the chicken, do not cut completely through to keep the slices connected.
- You can substitute Canadian bacon with ham or turkey bacon if preferred.
- Make sure to cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F for safe consumption.
- Resting the chicken after baking helps maintain juiciness.
- Variations: Add sliced mushrooms or tomatoes inside the slices for extra flavor and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed chicken breast
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 43g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
