Chicken Bacon Roulades

Oh, cheese and bacon stuffed chicken, how I love you.

This was one of the first 'experiment' meals I made when we moved down here. I was so proud of these creations. I remember I made them the night before my 21st birthday in fact. I only remember so vividly because I ended up burning the palm of my hand, bad. I spewed out a few profanities before taking refuge in the bathroom sobbing and running cold water over my hand, which I've heard you're not supposed to do with burns. Ah, I didn't care, that sucker hurt.

I remember barely being able to close my hand around the knife to cut my chicken, but I managed and it was worth it. The second time I prepared these delicious creations we took them over for a dinner party. Well, it wasn't really a dinner party, but you know, I made one thing and the other guy's wife prepared another thing, and we all sat down to eat. Is that a small dinner gathering? Well, whatever it was, it lead to last night's third time making them. I've got my best friend back home cooking these bad boys up for her and her boyfriend. I mean, can you really go wrong with chicken, cheese, and bacon?

I sound like a bacon crazed person, but honestly, bacon isn't really my thing. It's okay, but you'll never see me ordering bacon at a restaurant. No sir, no thank you.

The chicken breasts I used last night were much bigger than what I've used before so they didn't look as tightly rolled, but the taste was the same.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices cooked bacon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300F. Pound out the chicken breasts between two pieces of wax paper until 1/8 in. Place two strips of bacon lengthwise down the middle of the chicken and top with 1/4 c. cheese. Roll chicken tightly and use toothpicks to secure if needed. Sear in the remaining bacon drippings on each side for 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat on the stove. Place pan (the same one you've already started cooking the chicken in on the stove) into the oven to cook through for about 20-30 minutes (depending on how big the chicken breasts are).

Make sure you grab the handle of the pan out of the oven with a hot pad. I did this, but when I went to place the pan in the oven a few minutes later (not being used to baking my pans) totally spaced that the handle was just baking in the oven, full palm grabbed the handle and began moving it from the the oven to across the kitchen in the sink. Well, I didn't make that whole trip before I dropped the pan, cried, and cursed.