Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil served with Mixed Pepper Tomato Salsa

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil served with Mixed Pepper Tomato Salsa

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil

served with Mixed Pepper Tomato Salsa

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil served with Mixed Pepper Tomato Salsa

I love creating and developing recipes, so when I was sent a bumper hamper full of ingredients from E-On recently and asked to come up with some tasty, quick and simple recipes, I was pleased to join in. I was sent a list of the ingredients beforehand, so I knew JUST what I was planning to make as soon as they arrived, and the recipes I created would be perfect for lunch for friends, which was yesterday – I love it when a plan comes together! These are the ingredients I had at my disposal: Potatoes, Asparagus, Baby carrots, Broccoli, Courgettes, Garlic, Chicken, Bacon, Lamb’s Lettuce, Avocados, Plum baby tomatoes, Mixed Peppers, Salad Onions, Goats Cheese, Strawberries, Meringues, Cream.

Food Hamper

I didn’t have to use all of the ingredients, but in actual fact I used nearly three-quarters of them; chicken, bacon, lamb’s lettuce, garlic, mixed peppers, baby tomatoes, salad onions and goat’s cheese. The meal was quick and easy to prepare and only took 30 minutes in the oven, thus saving on energy. The salsa was tasty and vibrant and there was no need to cook any other vegetables as the salsa and lamb’s lettuce made perfect accompaniments to the protein rich chicken breasts. My friend’s LOVED the meal and asked for the recipe in leaving, which is rather flattering! Here are some tips on quick and simple recipes, using the minimum of energy:

1. Always plan and prepare other dishes to be cooked when the oven is on; for example, when I cooked these chicken breasts, I also cooked a fruit pie at the same time, as well as using the residual heat to keep the pie warm whilst we were eating our main meal.

2. If you have an energy-saving plan, where your energy costs are cheaper during certain times, utilise it to the full by batch baking, cooking meals in bulk to freeze as well as turning on the washing machine and dishwasher during these cheaper tariff times.

3. Family meals don’t always have to be cooked; the main protein part of the meal can be quickly fried, grilled or roasted, but the accompaniments can be uncooked such as salads, raw vegetables (crudités) and bread.

4. Planning your cooking time will save you pennies – look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves! Always plan what you can cook when you use your oven, even down to using the residual heat after it has been turned off – I sometimes plan a preserving session and use the heat of the oven to warm my jam jars.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil

The recipe I made was delicious when served with a salsa and side salad, and as I said above, there was no need to cook any other vegetables. I have shared the recipe for the Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil below, as well as a simple set of instructions on how to make the salsa, which was really just a chopping and mixing job! I used a low-fat vinaigrette for the lamb’s lettuce leaves and I also used them as a bed on which to serve the chicken breasts.

Mixed Pepper Tomato Salsa

The chicken breasts can be stuffed and wrapped in the morning and kept in the fridge until you need to cook them, making them an ideal dish for busy cooks! They can also be frozen at this stage for ease of cooking later on, and just need to be defrosted for 4 to 6 hours or overnight in a fridge. They are even delicious served sliced when cold and added to salads or sandwiches. Why wrap the chicken breasts? The bacon adds flavour and keeps the chicken moist, whilst the goat’s cheese adds a lovely creamy and toasted taste and texture, it’s a DREAM of a recipe!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil

If you have a quick and simple family recipe to share, if you quickly nip over to the E-On Facebook page, they have a competition where you could win a set of Le Creuset Pots and Pans, and there are three runners-up prizes of £50 John Lewis Vouchers. You can enter the competition here: Win with E-On

Win with E-On

That’s all for today, I hope my simple and tasty Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil served with Mixed Pepper Tomato Salsa recipes have inspired you to make them, maybe for a family weekend lunch or supper. See you later and have a great weekend, Karen 

Ready to pop in the oven to cook

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil

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Serves	4
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	35 minutes
Meal type	Lunch, Main Dish
Misc	Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion	Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentines day
Region	British
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

Using a minimum of energy, this tasty dish is on the table in just over half an hour. This quick and simple recipe for Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat's Cheese and Basil is a crowd pleaser for larger gatherings and makes a fabulous mid-week family supper or a weekend lunch. The chicken breasts can be stuffed and wrapped in the morning and kept in the fridge until you need to cook them, making them an ideal dish for busy cooks! They can also be frozen at this stage for ease of cooking later on, and just need to be defrosted for 4 to 6 hours or overnight in a fridge. They are even delicious served sliced when cold and added to salads or sandwiches.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts (boned and skinless)
• garlic granules
• 80g goat's cheese (cut into 4 slices or 8 discs)
• 4 rashers back bacon (or 8 rashers streaky bacon)
• 4 small sprigs of Greek basil
• salt and pepper

Note

Using a minimum of energy, this tasty dish is on the table in just over half an hour. This quick and simple recipe for Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat's Cheese and Basil is a crowd pleaser for larger gatherings and makes a fabulous mid-week family supper or a weekend lunch. The chicken breasts can be stuffed and wrapped in the morning and kept in the fridge until you need to cook them, making them an ideal dish for busy cooks! They can also be frozen at this stage for ease of cooking later on, and just need to be defrosted for 4 to 6 hours or overnight in a fridge. They are even delicious served sliced when cold and added to salads or sandwiches.

Directions

Step 1	Pre-heat oven to 190C/375F/Gas ark 5. Spray an oven proof dish such as a Pyrex dish with low-fat spray.
Step 2	Cut a deep pocket in each chicken breast, and then season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle some garlic granules IN the pocket and then stuff the chicken with the slices of goat's cheese, making sure they are pushed right down into the pocket.
Step 3	Wrap the bacon rashers around the stuffed chicken, making sure the end is tucked underneath the chicken breast. Secure with a tooth pick if necessary.
Step 4	Place the bacon wrapped chicken breasts into the prepared tray/dish and then carefully tuck the fresh basil underneath the bacon rashers, leaving a few leaves exposed. Spray with some low-fat spray and then cook for 25 to 30 minutes in the pre-heated oven. NB: For really quick cooking, brown the chicken breasts in a frying pan for 5 minutes to get the bacon crispy - reduce the cooking by 5 to 10 minutes in the oven then.
Step 5	Serve immediately with a fresh mixed pepper and tomato salsa and lamb's lettuce leaves dressed in a light vinaigrette.
Step 6	Note: If the bacon has not browned enough, quickly brown under a grill until crispy.

Just out of the oven with bubbling cheese and crispy bacon

Mixed Pepper Tomato Salsa Recipe:

Mixed Pepper & Baby Tomato Salsa

(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:

Half a red pepper, finely diced

Half a green pepper, finely diced

10 to 12 baby plum tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

2 to 3 spring (salad) onions

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and very finely diced

Half a red pepper, peeled and finely diced

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

METHOD:

Mix all of the ingredients together, and allow the flavours to develop for an hour before serving with grilled or roast meats, Mexican style meals and poultry.

NB: Increase or decrease the onions and garlic to personal taste.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil served with Mixed Pepper Tomato Salsa

Disclaimer: I was sent a hamper of food and kitchen utensils in which to create some recipes that are quick and simple. I was not required or paid to write a positive review and all views and opinions expressed in this post are mine. Karen S Burns-Booth

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat’s Cheese and Basil

I am linking these two recipes to Foodie Friday, a great Linky Party held over at A Room for Two with a View