Shelly's Recipe

SOUTHERN-FRIED STUFFED CHICKEN WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER-AND-VIDALIA ONION GRAVY

Category: Chicken

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup dry chicken-flavored stuffing mix
1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely shredded Romano cheese
1/2 cup chopped Vidalia onion
1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
4 large boned chicken breast halves with skin
4 ready-to-serve bacon slices
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose baking mix
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon black pepper
Canola oil
Roasted Red Pepper-and-Vidalia Onion Gravy, recipe follows

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Place chicken, skin side down, between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness, using a mallet or rolling pin.

Spread 1/4 of cream cheese mixture on skinless side of each chicken breast half; top with 1 piece of bacon. Roll up chicken, jellyroll fashion, lifting skin and tucking roll under skin.

Whisk together egg and milk in a bowl. Combine baking mix, Creole seasoning, and pepper in a shallow dish. Dip chicken rolls in egg mixture; dredge in baking mix mixture.

Pour oil to depth of 2 inches in a large skillet; heat to 350 degrees F. Fry chicken rolls, in batches, 10 to 12 minutes or until dark brown and done, turning chicken rolls often. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels.

Spoon 1/4 cup Roasted Red Pepper-and-Vidalia Onion Gravy on each of 4 individual serving plates; top with 1 chicken roll. Drizzle with remaining gravy. Serves 4

Roasted Red Pepper and Vidalia Onion Gravy:
1 large Vidalia onion, halved vertically
1 large sweet red bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
Non-stick aluminum foil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves
Black pepper
Dice 1 onion half; set aside.

Cut remaining onion half into slices. Place onion slices and bell pepper, cut sides down, on a baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil; drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt.

Broil onion slices and bell pepper halves 5 inches from heat about 10 minutes or until bell pepper looks blistered. Place bell pepper halves in a zip-top freezer bag; seal and let stand 10 minutes to loosen skin. Peel bell pepper halves, and dice 1 half. Reserve diced bell pepper and remaining half. Dice roasted onion, and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add reserved diced raw onion, and saute 10 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes, or until flour mixture is caramel-colored. Stir in chicken broth and Creole seasoning. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Process gravy mixture and reserved bell pepper half in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.

Combine gravy mixture, reserved diced roasted bell pepper, diced roasted onion, basil, and black pepper. Yield: 3 cups