Chicken Breasts with a Zesty Lemon-Dill Filling

Ingredients 0/14

Step 1

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning it now and then until it’s nice and crispy, about 10 minutes. Once it’s done, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, but keep the bacon grease in the pan. When the bacon has cooled enough, chop it up. Next, add the shallot to the bacon grease and cook it over medium-low heat until it turns golden and sweet, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 2

While that’s cooking, preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly spray a glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Take each chicken breast and make a pocket by slicing about an inch from the top, cutting lengthwise down the center but stopping before you reach the bottom. Then make a few shallow horizontal cuts on the top and bottom of the pocket to help it open up. Do this with all the chicken breasts.

Step 3

In a small bowl, mix together the chopped bacon, caramelized shallot, ricotta cheese, and a sprinkle of garlic powder. Stuff each chicken breast with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of this mixture, then place them in your casserole dish.

Step 4

Pop the chicken into the oven and let it bake for 25 minutes. While it’s cooking, melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and whisk until it forms a smooth paste. Gradually add the chicken broth, stirring constantly so you don’t get lumps. Then pour in the cream, lemon juice, white wine, and fresh dill. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens up a bit, which should take around 5 minutes.

Step 5

Take the chicken out of the oven and pour the sauce over the top. Return it to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. Finally, switch your oven to broil and move the rack close to the heat. Broil the chicken for about 3 minutes until it gets a beautiful golden finish. Let it rest a few minutes before serving.