Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I was inspired to make this after my friend told me she made this recently, though she stuffed hers with Brie cheese and asparagus.  I used what I had in the house.  I had goat cheese which was my first thought but the Boursin had a sooner expiry date of a week away and was leftover from Christmas...

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded out evenly
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 150 grams round of cranberry, pepper "Boursin" cheese
• 1 cup homemade cilantro pesto
• Calabrian chili crunch (this stuff is HOT!), to taste
• 8 strips Alderwood, natural maple smoked bacon
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 375°F.  

Earlier in the day I mixed the pesto, Boursin cheese and chilies until well combined, tasting to make sure it had the desired heat level I was after.  I laid parchment paper on a sheet pan and started on the chicken.  

I dried the chicken pieces with paper towel and seasoned with S&P.  I used the flat side of a mallet to pound the chicken.  

I did this between plastic wrap and tried to be gentle.  I love 😍 pounding food with the mallet and tend to get carried away pulverizing whatever it is!  

I spread a layer of the pesto mixture over.  Technically you should only use a small dollop and it will roll up neater.  

I rolled it up as cleanly as possible, tucking the pesto back in where I could.  I sprinkled more pepper over.  

I took 2 strips of bacon and tried to bundle the rolls as tightly as possible.  I moved to the sheet pan.  I discarded the plastic and started fresh each time as pesto mix oozed out while rolling.

When all were done I still had some pesto mix left so waste not, want not.  I coated the tops of the chicken and used it up.  I covered in plastic wrap until dinner time.  I let them come to room temperature and then put in the oven for about 30 minutes until cooked through.  I did drain the fat and oil off midway.  I broiled them for a minute after they were done, just to get some further browning color on the top.  

I served with roasted potatoes/sweet potatoes and green beans with lemon wedges on the side.  This chicken was FULL of flavor - herby, spicy, sweet, smoky, mapley, creamy cheese and the lemon made it bright tasting.  There was no "dull boring dry chicky breast" thoughts at all.  

If I had a complaint, it was that the bacon on the bottom didn't crisp or brown because of the grease.  If I were to do this again, I'd drain the fat off often as I didn't consider the oil in the pesto...  And it wasn't pretty to look at either.  Other than that, this was nice creation.