Cream Cheese-And-Pepper Jelly Chicken Recipe

When a platter of cream cheese and pepper jelly is on the table, you know there’s a good time to be had—so bring that excitement to dinner with this cream cheese-and-pepper jelly chicken. The cheesy filling hearkens to the beloved appetizer, but the herbs and garlic give it a bit more flavor depth. So it’s a bit sweet, with a little gentle heat, and creamy and cheesy and herby all at once.

Recipe Tips for Cream Cheese-And-Pepper Jelly Chicken

• To get the chicken to cook through without overcooking, it’s best to brown it stovetop and then move it to the oven to finish cooking more gently.
• Deglazing the plan with broth (or wine) helps to release any fond that will deepen the flavor of the glaze.
• A little butter whisked in at the end provides a little richness to the glaze.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for two to three days. Reheat single servings in the microwave for one to two minutes.
• When cutting the pockets in the chicken breasts, it helps to place the palm of your non-dominant hand on top of the breast to hold it in place as you cut.
• The mozzarella in the filling mixture sort of serves as a binder or glue; without it, the cream cheese filling would be all oozy and might squish out of the chicken.
• In place of mozzarella, you could try Cheddar or Swiss. 
• If pepper jelly just isn’t your thing, apricot preserves would be a good substitute.