Mr. Bar-B-Q Ultimate Burger Basket/Lasagna Stuffed Chicken

That’s right. I said easy lasagna-stuffed chicken! Bam.

And thanks to an amazing burger basket by Mr. Bar-B-Q I used my way (I’m such a rebel), I made mine with no fuss and no muss–right on the grill! (Of course, you don’t need a grill to make this delicious recipe. Keep reading for more.)

Tip: You can replace a boneless skinless chicken breast for the chicken.

The Mr. Bar-B-Q Ultimate Burger Basket is the most amazing, quality burger basket I’ve ever used (and I’ve used a few. I’ve been around that block).

Pressing meat perfectly in place (see images below), the basket secures easily to ensure even pressure across four patties, chicken breasts, or anything else you might want to press flat during grilling.

You could even grill vegetables, fish or hamburgers in here and know they’ll still be there when you come back (I sob when I lose food between the grill grates).

I also love that the solid-quality wooden handle stays cool to the touch for safe grilling.

I was so jazzed about this product, I had to try stuffing some chicken, which begged the question, Would it hold the fillings in the chicken without those wretched toothpicks? The answer is yes!

Below is a close up of how nicely the chicken is held in place. I didn’t have the mess or have to deal with broken toothpicks because this basket holds everything perfectly.

For this delicious casserole-in-a-chicken breast, I decided to use the pizza sauce only as an afterthought in this dish since tomato/acids have never really served me well in the chicken cooking process. I find that creamy, decadent dairy-based beauties like ricotta and mozzarella net the best fillings.  And what’s more, mixing all the fillings in a bowl makes it easy to prepare.

Tip: Brining chicken before cooking helps keep moisture inside.

This recipe is easy to make ahead and reheated for quick lunches or dinners, and for only 334 calories and 2.7 net carbs, you can indulge a little knowing that this filling, cheesy dish will please even the pickier palates around the dinner table.

Tip: You can use frozen spinach in place of fresh if you decrease the amount by about half and drain thoroughly.

And, by the way, even though I had to try out this basket for chicken, I guess you could use Mr. Bar-B-Q’s Deluxe Burger Basket for making hamburgers, too. I guess.

Easy Lasagna Stuffed Chicken

3 large, raw boneless chicken breasts
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 slices pepperoni (optional)
1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic Italian Seasoning Blend
3 slices salami, chopped (optional)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp pepper

1/4 cup no-sugar added pizza sauce
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Rinse the chicken. Pat dry. Remove membranes from the chicken. Carefully cut a slit in the top of the chicken to form a pocket the length of the chicken breast.

Brine chicken in 1 tsp pepper, 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1-1/2 Tbsp lemon juice for an hour. Drain off brine.

If using oven, preheat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. If using a grill, begin heating.

Toss cheeses, pepperoni, seasoning, salami, spinach and onion together in a medium mixing bowl. Stuff chicken.

Grill chicken for 12 minutes per side, or bake uncovered in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 minutes (or until chicken is no longer pink).

To plate: top hot chicken with a schmear of pizza sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Makes 3 large chicken breasts, or 6 servings.

Nutritional information per serving (spinach only): Calories: 334,  Carbohydrates: 3 g, Fiber: .3 g, Net Carbohydrates: 2.7 g, Protein: 40.2 g, Fat: 17 g

Nutritional information per serving (pepperoni + salami+ spinach): Calories: 395, Carbohydrates: 3.5 g, Fiber: .4 g, Net Carbohydrates: 3.1 g, Protein: 43 g, Fat: 22 g

A plate of grilled chicken, moist and perfect. Hey, it doesn’t matter that we’ll have snow next month; we grill all year-long in Colorado. Just look for those pink moon boots and let’s do it.

Mr. Bar-B-Q Ultimate Burger Basket
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Price: $N/A
Usefulness: On the grill for cooking meats, vegetables or anything else you want to tame.
Website: Mr. Bar-B-Q

Disclosure: Mr. Bar-B-Q provided this product  free of charge for review, but this has not affected my review of the item.