Jalapeno Popper Chicken

Do you like jalapeno poppers, those wonderful  appetizers of halved and seeded jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese and cheddar cheese?  Then you will love this chicken dish!  I've really had trouble trying to find a new and distinct chicken recipe.  This is just so good and cheesy!  Not spicy, just flavored with jalapenos (the spiciness goes away once they're seeded and sauteed).  And I made mine with reduced-fat cream cheese and cheddar cheese, and then sprayed the top of the chicken with canola cooking spray, so it's low in fat and calories.  I used one 8 oz chicken breast and cut it in half after cooking, plenty for the two of us.  I hope you'll try this!

JALAPENO POPPER CHICKEN (Serves 4)

4 chicken breasts (4-6 oz)
4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup reduced-fat cheddar or colby cheese
1 tsp olive oil
4 jalapenos, chopped (ribs and seeds removed)
1 1/4 cup Panko plain breadcrumbs
2 tsp taco seasoning
1/2 tsp dry parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp oregano
1 egg (or Egg Beaters)
Non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a cookie sheet with light spray of non-stick spray.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the jalapenos and cook until softened.  Remove the skillet from the heat and add the cream cheese and shredded cheese, stir to combine.  Cut a pocket into each chicken breast.  Stuff each pocket with the cream cheese mixture.  Secure with a toothpick if necessary.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg.  In another bowl, mix the Panko, taco seasoning, parsley, oregano, and salt.  Dip each chicken breast in the egg then the Panko.  Place the breaded chicken breast on the prepared cookie sheet.  To help give the breading a deeper color, you can give each breast a little spray of cooking spray.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside the juices run clear.