Grilled Chicken Rio Grande

Here's a favorite dish I wanted to share.  My husband makes this and it is so dang good! He calls it Rio Grande Chicken. It's a chicken breast stuffed with chopped onions, jalapenos, cheese, then rolled up, wrapped in bacon and grilled. It is delicious. You can make a couple of these and slice them into medallions and serve as an appetizer or as a main course.

Shawn's Grilled Chicken Rio Grande

1/2-3/4 Cup finely chopped onion (yellow or white, about 1/2 large onion)
1/2-3/4 Cup finely chopped jalapeno (Shawn uses them from the jar)
1- 1 1/2 Cup shredded cheese (Smoked Gouda, Cheddar, or Monterey Jack)
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to about 1/2" thickness with a meat mallet
12-16 slices smoked bacon
toothpicks

1)  You'll want to pound your chicken breasts out to about 1/2" thickness and then sprinkle with even amounts of onions and jalapenos and then some cheese.
In case you're wondering, the black marks on the heavy plastique cutting board are grill marks, yes grill marks. That was one of Shawn's early experimentation's with cooking.  It didn't work out for him (or me, or the kids)...but the board does still serve its intended purpose.

2)  Roll the breast up 

 3) Take 2 bacons strips and wrap around each rolled up chicken breast, tucking in the breast at the ends to prevent the fillings from coming out during cooking

4) You'll need to use toothpicks to secure the bacon to the breast, holding in the fillings.  Don't forget to tuck a bit of the breast under the outside end and use a tooth pick there to close it.

5) Continue this process with each chicken breast until you've got them all put together

6)  Now you're ready for the grill.  Shawn said that because of all the bacon fat that you really need to watch the grill as the grease drips into the coals...just keep an eye on them...we don't want a fire!

7) Cook until done allowing the bacon to get nice and crispy.
We have finished cooking inside in the oven or  microwave for a minute or two after bringing them inside, if they aren't done all the way through.  They are so thick and large once filled, rolled up and wrapped that it's hard to get them cooked on the grill all the way through without totally charring the bacon.

8) Remove toothpicks before serving.
This dish is as delicious and looks very impressive.   I'm hungry for this now!

Until next Foodie Friday, I hope you all get a chance to try this one out, or plan to.  We'd love to hear from you and know what you think if you do.  Shawn has made it for several guests who have each oooohhhed and aaaahhhhhed over it, and of course he always has his audience of 7 ready and willing to give our verdict...GUILTY (of a delicious, grilled chicken dish).

Hope you all are having lots of nice Spring weather wherever you may be....

Harrigan Howdy