Pesto Bacon Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus
Pesto Bacon Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus
Ingredients
For the Stuffed Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 6 slices bacon, cooked crispy and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika, for seasoning chicken
- 1 teaspoon mixed seasoning blend, for seasoning chicken
For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Air-Fried Asparagus
- 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- as needed olive oil spray
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For Garnish
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper for the chicken and have a glass baking dish ready for the sweet potatoes.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400
- 2
Prepare the sweet potatoes: In the glass baking dish, combine the diced sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss with tongs until evenly coated. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Cook the bacon: Place the bacon slices in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan, drain on paper towels, then chop into small pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Make the pesto cream cheese stuffing: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, pesto, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, and dried Italian herbs. Add the chopped crispy bacon. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until well combined and creamy.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Prepare and stuff the chicken: Take each butterflied chicken breast and spoon a generous amount of the pesto cream cheese stuffing into the pocket. Close the chicken breast around the stuffing. Place the stuffed chicken breasts into the parchment-lined baking dish. Season the top of each chicken breast with 1/2 teaspoon paprika and the mixed seasoning blend.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Cook all components: Place the baking dish with sweet potatoes and the baking dish with stuffed chicken breasts into the preheated oven. Roast the sweet potatoes for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelized. Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. While the chicken and sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare the asparagus.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 400
- 7
Prepare and air-fry the asparagus: Place the trimmed asparagus into an air fryer basket. Spray lightly with olive oil, then season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Air fry at 375°F for 8-10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until tender-crisp.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 375
- 8
Assemble and garnish: Once all components are cooked, carefully remove them from the oven and air fryer. On serving plates, arrange a portion of the roasted sweet potatoes, one stuffed chicken breast, and a serving of air-fried asparagus. Garnish by grating fresh Parmesan cheese over the asparagus and sprinkling chopped fresh basil over the chicken and sweet potatoes. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Pesto Bacon Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus
For the Stuffed Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 6 slices bacon, cooked crispy and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika, for seasoning chicken
- 1 teaspoon mixed seasoning blend, for seasoning chicken
For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Air-Fried Asparagus
- 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- as needed olive oil spray
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For Garnish
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper for the chicken and have a glass baking dish ready for the sweet potatoes.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400 - 2
Prepare the sweet potatoes: In the glass baking dish, combine the diced sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss with tongs until evenly coated. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Cook the bacon: Place the bacon slices in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan, drain on paper towels, then chop into small pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Make the pesto cream cheese stuffing: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, pesto, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, and dried Italian herbs. Add the chopped crispy bacon. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until well combined and creamy.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Prepare and stuff the chicken: Take each butterflied chicken breast and spoon a generous amount of the pesto cream cheese stuffing into the pocket. Close the chicken breast around the stuffing. Place the stuffed chicken breasts into the parchment-lined baking dish. Season the top of each chicken breast with 1/2 teaspoon paprika and the mixed seasoning blend.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Cook all components: Place the baking dish with sweet potatoes and the baking dish with stuffed chicken breasts into the preheated oven. Roast the sweet potatoes for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelized. Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. While the chicken and sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare the asparagus.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 400 - 7
Prepare and air-fry the asparagus: Place the trimmed asparagus into an air fryer basket. Spray lightly with olive oil, then season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Air fry at 375°F for 8-10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until tender-crisp.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 375 - 8
Assemble and garnish: Once all components are cooked, carefully remove them from the oven and air fryer. On serving plates, arrange a portion of the roasted sweet potatoes, one stuffed chicken breast, and a serving of air-fried asparagus. Garnish by grating fresh Parmesan cheese over the asparagus and sprinkling chopped fresh basil over the chicken and sweet potatoes. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 5 min