Pepperoni Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 oz mozzarella cheese
• 1 1/4 oz approx. 16 slices pepperoni
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 6 Tbsp vegetable oil
• To taste salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cut away any big pieces of fat still clinging to the chicken breasts. Slice each breast on the diagonal so you have 2 diamond-ish pieces, then use a small, sharp knife to make a pocket in the side of each piece. Go slowly here, especially with thinner chicken, and cut into just 1 side rather than through the whole piece so the filling stays put. Tuck 1/2 oz. of cheese and about 4 slices of pepperoni into each piece of chicken, then season the outside lightly with salt and pepper. Set the stuffed chicken aside.
2. Heat your oven to 350 degrees and cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Warm a large skillet with 6 Tbsp of vegetable oil over medium/high heat. Set out 3 shallow dishes: flour in the first, egg in the second, and bread crumbs in the third. Beat the egg until smooth, adding a 1/2 tsp of water if you want to loosen it a bit.
3. Coat the chicken 1 piece at a time, moving it through the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs. Use your hands so you can hold the pocket closed while you work, which helps keep the filling inside. The flour gives the egg something to cling to, and the egg helps the bread crumbs stick.
4. Check the oil by dropping in a small pinch of bread crumbs. If they sizzle energetically and scoot around, you are ready; if the oil is not hot enough, the coating will drink it up and turn heavy. Add all 4 pieces of chicken to the skillet and cook until each side is crisp and golden, which should take no more than 2-3 minutes.
5. Move the chicken from the skillet to the prepared baking sheet, then slide it into the oven. Bake for about 25 minutes to finish cooking the center, giving larger pieces a little longer if needed. Take the chicken out of the oven, check that it is cooked through, and serve right away.