Cherry Chicken Spirals

An unexpected combination of flavors that go together SO well. Bacon, Honey Mustard, Thyme, and Cherries - who would have thought of that? But the combination is really, unexpectedly, amazingly mouthwatering. And they look so pretty! This is a recipe to impress, with a minimum of fuss or trouble.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6

Ingredients

• 4  boneless skinless chicken breast halves or 1 1⁄2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 8  slices  turkey bacon
• 2⁄3 cup  snipped dried cherries
• 3  tablespoons  honey mustard
• 1  cup  whole wheat panko (japanese style bread crumbs)
• 2  tablespoons  snipped fresh thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg F. Lightly coat a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place each chicken breast half between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken lightly into a rectangular shape 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Discard plastic wrap.
3. In a large skillet, cook turkey bacon over medium heat for 2 - 3 mins per side or just until lightly browned but not crisp. Place on pounded chicken.
4. In a small bowl, combine cherries and half of the honey mustard. Divide cherry mixture evenly among the pounded chicken. Fold in the shorter side edges, roll up from longer bottom edge. Brush rolls with remaining honey mustard. Secure rolls with a toothpick, but remember to remove after cooking! See pictures for a step by step demonstration.
5. In a shallow dish combine panko, thyme, and pepper. Roll chicken in panko mixture to coat evenly. Place chicken rolls seam sides down in prepared pan. Lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 mins or until chicken is no longer pink (165 degrees F). A cooking thermometer is your friend and is a worthy investment, it will make the difference between juicy tender chicken and overdone dry chicken.