Pancetta & Mushroom-stuffed Chicken Breast

Inspired by a stuffed chicken Marsala dish I had at a restaurant, I came up with my own version using a different flavor profile.

—Ashley Levy, Clarksville, MD

Prep: 15 min. • Bake: 30 min. Makes: 4 servings

4 slices pancetta

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped ³₄ cup chopped fresh

mushrooms

¹₄ tsp. salt, divided

¹₄ tsp. pepper, divided 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz. each) ¹₂ cup prepared pesto

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat until partially cooked but not crisp; drain on paper towels.

2. In same skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallot; cook and stir until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms; cook until tender, 1-2 minutes. Add ¹₈ tsp. salt and ¹₈ tsp. pepper.

3. Pound chicken breasts with a meat mallet to ¹₄-in. thickness. Spread each with 2 Tbsp. pesto; layer with one slice pancetta and a fourth of the mushroom mixture. Fold chicken in half, enclosing the filling; secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.

4. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°, 30-35 minutes. Discard toothpicks. Per serving: 420 cal., 25g fat (6g sat. fat), 112mg chol., 1013mg sod., 5g carb. (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 41g pro.