Gluten-Free Delicious Crock-Pot Stuffed Chicken Breasts

My younger brother, when we were growing up, called chicken breasts "chicken boobies."  No matter how old I get, I always think of that when I cook chicken breasts. 

I made stuffed chicken breasts for Easter dinner last month.  It was a brand new recipe, and I was so excited to try it and impress my husband and daughter with delicious holiday food.  It was terrible!!  So, I hunted and searched until I found this gem-recipe.  You can see the original recipe at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Bacon-and-Feta-Stuffed-Chicken-Breast/Detail.aspx.  It was without a doubt the best chicken I've cooked in a long, long while.  Plus, it was simple to prepare in ten minutes plus 3 hours of cooking time!

Ingredients:

3 boneless gluten-free, organic chicken breasts
1/3 cup feta cheese or the cheese of your choice, crumbled or diced into very small pieces
1/4 cup gluten-free bacon bits
fresh basil or basil pesto (I used pesto with garlic and basil.)
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans gluten-free diced tomatoes (I used basil and oregano diced tomatoes.)

Directions:

1. Mix bacon and feta cheese together in a small bowl.  Set aside.
2. Cut a 2-3 inch slit, lengthwise, in the side of each chicken breast to create a pocket into which you fill with the cheese mixture.  Secure closed using toothpicks as needed.
3. First, place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a greased crock pot or slow cooker.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper; add tomatoes and basil.
4. Cook on the High setting for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until the chicken is no longer pink and the internal temperature is 165 degrees. 

Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler

I haven't been a good blogger lately.  We've been a busy family, so I've been eating fruit and roasted vegetables - healthy and tasty - but not much to write about.  School is almost out (three more days), so we celebrated with a delicious dinner last night since it was our last weekend before summer.  Next weekend we'll have to celebrate the beginning of out summer vacation.  There is always something to celebrate!!

I found this recipe online at http://www.livingwithout.com/recipes/gluten_free_dairy_free_egg_free_peach_cobbler-2505-1.html and will adapt it next time.  In my opinion, there was way too much crumby topping and not enough peachy filling.  The recipe below is my recommended adaptation of the original recipe with half the amount of crumb dough.  Enjoy!!

Peach Cobbler

Filling Ingredients:

1 (29-oz.) can of sliced peaches in juice or heavy syrup
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 T. Stevia in the Raw
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 t. tapioca flour (I get mine at a Chinese grocery store.)

1. Drain the peaches, reserving all liquid into a bowl which you set aside.  Place the drained peaches into a heavy saucepan and add lemon juice; stir peaches and lemon juice well.
2. Peach juice:  Add brown sugar, Stevia in the Raw, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and tapioca flour.  Whisk the juice mixture well to blend.
3. Pour the juice mixture over the peaches in your saucepan.  Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly.  Then reduce heat to medium and cook about 1-2 minutes until the liquid thickens.  Set aside.

 

     4.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.

Cobbler Crust Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 t. Stevia in the Raw
1 1/2 t. sugar
1 t. gluten-free double-acting baking powder
2-3 T. butter or shortening (substitute if need dairy-free), diced
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
1/2 t. sugar, for sprinkling on top
1/8 t. cinnamon, for sprinkling on top

1. Mix flours, salt, Stevia in the Raw, sugar, and baking powder together with a whisk.
2. Use a fork to cut butter or shortening into the dry ingredients until thoroughly mixed; reserve 1/4 to 1/2 cup of crumbs for later.
3. Make a well in the remaining crumb mixture and add coconut milk and vanilla.  Blend with a fork until just combined.  Don't over-mix.
4. Sprinkle the reserved 1/4 to 1/2 cup of crumb mixture in the bottom of your prepared baking dish.  Pour the hot peach mixture over the crumbs in the dish.  Drop tablespoons of dough mixture on top of the peach layer.  Press on the top layer lightly to be sure that the dough drops between the peaches.  Sprinkle the top with sugar and cinnamon.
5. Bake on middle oven rack for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.