Green Chile Chicken Bundles

My mom made these Green Chile Chicken Bundles when I was a kid. They are OMG Good! SO full of NOMNOM!! Make them one of your new favorites, too! #SoNomNom4u #GreenChileChickenBreasts

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 tsp salt

1 (7 oz) can whole green chiles

4 slices Montery Jack cheese, cut into 4 strips each

1 cup flour

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup Heavy cream or milk

1-1/2 cups plain breadcrumbs

1 TBSP cumin

1 tsp salt

1 pint oil for Frying (I prefer peanut but canola oil, shortening, vegetable oil, and corn oil work well, too)

COLORED TOOTHPICKS

Directions:

Place each breast on wax paper. Cut it open to create 1whole piece. It should resemble a heart after you open it. Do not cut all sides. Place it point side down, start at top curve and cut it down the long side, leavin the left side in tact. Open it up and pound it with a meat mallet to make it the same thickness all over. (See image below) Repeat until all 4 breasts are cut open and pounded. Set aside.

Open up each breast so it is shaped like a heart. Place 1 whole green chile and 4 strips of cheese on the right side of the "heart" close the left side over the right and secure edges with colored toothpicks. Use bright colors like red and green and blue so you can see them to pull them out after chicken is cooked. Repeat until all 4 chicken breasts are stuffed and secured. Set Aside.

In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, cumin, and salt. Set aside.

Pour flour into a plate. Set Aside.

Combine 1 egg and heavy cream/milk and whish until well blended. Set aside.

Take one stuffed breast and dip it into the egg mixture until it is completely coated.

Dip wet stuffed breast into flour until all areas are coated. Dip the flour coated stuffed breast in egg mixture again until it is all coated and them dip the egg and flour coated stuffed breast into bread crumbs until the entire piece of stuffed chicken is coated in breadcrumbs. Set on plate and repeat until all the chicken breasts have been coated in egg, flour, egg, breadcrumbs.

Heat a large pot with 1/2 cup oil. Make sure the oil is deep enough to cover the chicken breasts but the pot should not be more than 1/2 full with oil. When oil is completely heated, add each piece of chicken. Depending on the pot, you should only do one or 2 pieces at a time. Make sure you cook these in batches. A deep fryer is preferred but use a pot if you do not have a deep fryer.

Cook each piece of chicken for approximately 10-12 minutes. Chicken will be done when the outside is golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Make sure to not poke the breasts too many times, they will start to leak!

Remove all toothpicks before serving. Serve hot.

These go great with Perfect Mashed Potatoes and chicken gravy and corn on the cob.