Cheesy Stuffed Tomato Chicken

SVELTE's Note:

This recipe was assembled montage style from a few others. It grew into itself and turned out so fabulously that I had to post it. It does have quite a few ingrediants, some are optional for taste but it is super easy to make! It's great to serve alone, over cooked noodles or with a fine green salad.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 6 -8 chicken breasts , trimmed
• 1 (16 ounce) jar marinara sauce , your favorite
• 1 cup italian vinaigrette
• ½ cup reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese , grated
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese , grated
• 2 garlic cloves , minced (optional)
• 1 tablespoon hot chili paste , it adds great kick (optional)
• ¼ cup celery , minced
• ¼ cup onion , minced
• ¼ cup mushroom , minced (5oz)
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomato , Chopped
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (or to taste) or 2 tablespoons dried cilantro (or to taste)
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped (or to taste) or 2 tablespoons dried basil (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (8 ounce) can of crunchy onions , crushed, bread crumbs are okay

Directions:

1. Make deep horizontal slits in chicken breasts - ie pockets or envelopes. Marinade chicken breasts in italian vinegrette for about 1-2 hours, longer is okay too. Make sure to saturate the inside and outside of the chicken with marinade.
2. Chicken Filling : In a pan over medium heat with a table spoon of olive oil saute minced onion, celery, garlic & mushrooms until tender, about 6-7 minutes. Turn off heat. Add chopped cilantro, rosemary, basil and sun dried tomatoes, stir to wilt fresh ingredients, if using dried just toss in the ingredients. Then stir in cream cheese & chili paste, allow to melt thouroughly and then set aside in pan.
3. Preheat oven to 450.
4. In a deep baking dish add a thin layer of marinara sauce (keeps chicken from burning) and then sprinkle in a small handful of grated mozzarella cheese, set aside.
5. Take chicken out of marinade and let drip dry, you can toss the marinade. Use a spoon to fill the chicken pockets with sauted filling and set into the prepared baking dish. You may have leftover filling, save it. On top of the chicken sprinkle in a generous handful of crushed crunchy onions.
6. If you have leftover sautee filling stir it into the remaining marinara sauce and pour all around chicken in the baking dish.
7. Bake at 450 for about 1 1/2 hours
8. Pull baking dish out of the over and layer the remaining crushed onions and mozzarella cheese over the chicken. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes until bubbly.
9. Serve with sprinkled parmasean cheese.