Cheddar Primavera Hasselback Chicken

Stuffed with lots of Cheddar cheese and veggies, this chicken is easy to prepare and tastes as good as it looks.

Ingredients

8 oz (225 g) Cracker Barrel^® Medium Colour Block, divided
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5 to 6 oz/150 to 170 g each)
1 plum tomato, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (you need 24 half slices)
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise (you need 24 slices)
1/2 yellow pepper, halved lengthwise, one half sliced crosswise (you need 24 strips)

Preheat oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Cut cheese 6 oz (175 g) crosswise into 12 slices; cut slices in half. Shred remaining cheese on a box grater. Stir together olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper; set aside.
Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towel. From one end to the other, cut 6 slices crosswise into each chicken breast about three-quarters of the way through, without slicing all the way through, and keeping chicken breast intact to create fan effect.
Place chicken on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush chicken with half of the oil mixture. Stuff slits evenly with cheese, tomato, zucchini and yellow pepper slices.
Drizzle remaining oil mixture over top. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until chicken is almost cooked through. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake for 4 to 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and bubby and chicken is cooked through. Scrape cheese that has collected on foil and place on top of chicken breasts.

Substitute small vine-ripe tomato or cherry tomatoes for plum tomatoes if desired.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, chives or basil if desired.

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