Ninja's blog: "Cooking with Ninja"

If you're tired of plain old chicken, this little trick makes a world of delicious!

You will need the following:

Chicken Breasts

Rice

Chopped seasoning

tooth picks

meat tenderizer

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Start out with 3 to 4 large chicken breasts. For a jucier outcome, marinate them in fat free tialian dressing for at least 3 hours.

Next, get a bag or box of seasoned rice.

Suggestions:

Uncle Ben's Wild Rice

Rice-A-Roni (pick a flavor)

Spanish rice

Jambalaya

Dirty Rice

Follow the directions on the box for cooking the rice. Once your rice is done cooking put it aside.

*OPTIONAL* Take a tablespoon of margarine and cook down your chopped seasoning. Once it cooks down (onions start to turn clear), add your rice and about half a cup of water or broth and stir continuously and simmer on Medium heat for about 5 minutes.Remove from heat and put the rice aside.

Take your chicken breasts and a meat tenderizer and pound out the chicken until it is thin and flat. Keep the top of the chicken (there is a thin membrane over it) facing up as you do this.  Use the side with the smaller pattern as well so you don't break the meat too much.

Once the meat is flat and thin, turn it over and take a scoop of rice. (I like to use an ice cream scoop with a release lever. It makes measuring evenly and less messy a breeze. Place the rice in the middle of the chicken breast. Fold the sides up around it and secure them together with the toothpicks. Skewer the toothpick through the meat so that it holds the two sides together.

Place the stuffed breasts in a large glass corningware dish, toothpick side down.

Sprinkle some seasoning on top of the chicken. I like mine with creole seasoning. You can use whatever you like. A little black pepper and a squeeze of lemon will be enough as well!

Put it in the oven and cook it approximately 30 to 45 minutes

Since cooking times will vary depending on the thickness and size of the chicken breasts, check frequently after about 25 minutes. Chicken cooked too long will dry out!!

While you're waiting for the chicken to cook, prepare a side of your favorite veggies. For a simple and delicious treat, grab some yellow squash, zucchini and onions, sliced thin. Sautee them together in a sauce pan with margarine and some pepper (again here, I like to use creole seasoning as well). Sautee them together until they start to appear clear.

When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes. As you are serving it, remove the toothpics (it will still be together when you do) and cut it in half. Plate your veggies and serve! Depending on the appetites of your guests, you can serve 4-8 with this meal!