Chicken stuffed with roasted red pepper, cream cheese and basil
A low-salt family dish with a delicious flavour which makes a good weekday main meal.
Chef
Ingredients
4 small chicken breasts, skinless and boneless (approximately 175g each)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Black pepper to season
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
200g cream cheese
2 roasted red peppers, from a jar, rinsed and thinly sliced
1 handful fresh basil leaves
10g fresh parmesan cheese
240g rice
150g purple sprouting broccoli or 200g green beans
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas mark 4. Grease a large casserole dish with a little olive oil. Make a butterfly cut in each chicken breast by slicing into the long side, stopping about 1cm from opposite side, being careful not to cut all the way through.
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Step 2
Open each chicken breast so it is flat, sprinkle with half the Italian seasoning and black pepper. Mix the garlic with cream cheese and spread a thin layer on each breast. Lay the roasted red pepper slices on top of the cream cheese, with a basil leaf.
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Step 3
Fold the side of the chicken breast closed, tucking in the red pepper, basil and cheese. Use cocktail sticks to keep the chicken closed. Sprinkle the remaining Italian seasoning over the top and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Wash and add the rice to a pan of boiling water and cook according to the packet’s instructions.
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Step 4
Once the chicken is cooked, grate over parmesan cheese. Grill under a high heat until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Cook the purple sprouting broccoli (or green beans) in a saucepan of boiling water. Serve the chicken, green vegetables and rice together, pouring some of the meat juices over as a light sauce.
Food facts
The main source of carbohydrate in this dish is the rice. The carbohydrate values have been provided for those who have trained in insulin adjustment.
The meal will contain a reasonable amount of phosphate from the chicken and the cheese, but you could reduce the portion of cheese to lower the phosphate content. If you have been prescribed a phosphate binder ensure you take them with this dish. Peppers are a great alternative to tomatoes if you need to be more careful with your potassium intake.
Because the protein content of this dish is high it is great for people who are on dialysis. If you have been advised to lower your protein intake, you can reduce the amount of chicken to a portion between 70-100g.
This dish is naturally gluten free
There is no added salt in this dish. If you want to reduce the amount of fat you eat try using a light version of the cream cheese.
Frozen chicken breasts which have been defrosted thoroughly for a day in the fridge may be cheaper than using fresh chicken breasts. You can save money by serving with a head of broccoli or by grilling your own bell peppers instead (see below) of buying in a jar.
To grill your own peppers, just place under a high heat until the skin is brown/black, place in a plastic food bag and wait until they start to sweat. The skin should be very easy to remove then.