Jalapeño Popper Chicken

Instructions

Prepare Your Ingredients
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400° F.
Foil-line and lightly grease a baking sheet.
Wash and dry your produce.
Core and thinly slice ½ of the apple (use more if small)
Roughly chop the pecans and place in a large salad bowl along with the apple.
Deseed and mince ½ of the jalapeño (use more or leave some seeds for spicier).
Mince ½ the shallot (all if small), and cut the grape tomatoes into quarters.
Mince 1 garlic clove.

Make the Filling
Heat ½ Tbsp. olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Saute the shallot, jalapeno, and grape tomatoes for 5 minutes or until crisp tender (adjust heat to keep from burning if needed, and add oil if pan dries).
Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute.
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, shallot mixture, and paprika.
When well mixed, season to taste with salt.

Stuff the Chicken
Use a small knife to cut about a 2” slit into the thickest side of each chicken breast.
Open up a pocket inside each breast, without cutting through to the other side.
Stuff the pockets with the cheese mixture, and wrap with butcher's twine to close the pocket.
Rub with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cook the Chicken
In the same pan you cooked the shallots, heat ½ Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat until hot.
Place the chicken in the pan and sear until golden brown; 2 - 3 minutes per side (add oil if pan dries).
Transfer pan with chicken to oven (or use a baking pan) and finish cooking, 10-12 minutes.

Make the Salad & Dressing
While the chicken cooks, combine 2 Tbsp. olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and the sugar. Whisk/mix until a smooth and thick consistency is achieved; about 3 minutes.
Taste and adjust to your liking with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, sliced apples, pecans, and dressing.

Plating
Divide the salad between your plates, place the chicken on the side.
Enjoy!