Chicken Stuffed 'Bellas

A recipe! Hooray!

I love simple, easy-to-put-together meals. THIS recipe is one of those!

I love using portobella mushrooms as an entree, they're filling, but not overly heavy like bread or pasta - and they're just downright delicious.

If you thaw and/or cook your chicken ahead of time, this will literally come together in just a few minutes. The longest part is baking them, but even then they are done in about 10 minutes.

One shortcut I've found is this - and it may sound ridiculous, but it's what I do! When I need shredded chicken, I cook it throughly and then put it in the blender for a few rounds. By doing this, I usually have finely shredded chicken in about three seconds. Try it! It's worth it.

My super-key ingredient for this recipe is this:

I first used this when I made chicken marsala awhile back, and it ups the flavor like nobody's business when it comes to cooking with mushrooms. I had to try it in this dish and, even with just a third of a cup, it BLEW MY MIND.

((Note: I was a little afraid to cook with even cooking wine for a long time, then I learned the alcohol cooks out, much to my relief. If you're not comfortable with this, then chicken broth will work fine!))

My pictures of this are terrible quality, but don't let that deter you from trying your hand at this dish. I think you'll be pleased!

Chicken Stuffed 'Bellas
Serves 2

adapted from What'sCookingMexico

What you'll need:

2 medium-sized portobella mushrooms

1/4 cup of butter (1/2 stick butter)

4 oz cream cheese

1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

1/3 cup marsala cooking wine or low-sodium chicken broth

2-3 tbsp half & half

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

dash of crushed red pepper

dash of salt and pepper

Italian breadcrumbs

What you'll do:

In a large skillet, melt butter and cream cheese. Stir frequently to mix. When each are about halfway melted, add marsala wine (or chicken broth), garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red peppers. Stir and continue to cook.

Meanwhile, rinse and clean your mushrooms by using a spoon to scoop out the insides. Remove the stems and chop into small pieces, then add to the sauce mixture as it cooks. If sauce mixture looks
"soupy," add half & half. This will make the sauce very creamy, so add a little at a time until it reaches the consistency you prefer.

Place mushrooms in a baking dish or sheet, then fill with sauce mixture. Top with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and bake for 10 minutes at 350. After 10 minutes, turn on the broiler for about 2 minutes, just enough to let the breadcrumbs start to darken and crisp.

Remove the mushrooms from the oven, let cool for a few minutes, then enjoy!