Witch Doctor's Angry Chicken

aka Jalapeno Popper Chicken

So, my husband is a huge gaming geek, which is as it should be when you're a video game designer, I guess. He found a contest on Eat Game Live to create a signature dish for Diablo III (for those who don't know that's a video game) and asked me to come up with something. As I hemmed and hawed over not knowing enough about the Diablo universe to come up with something, he promised whatever I made, he'd come up with a name to incorporate it to Diablo III. Well heck, I can do that, I invent recipes all the time. Count me in.

So the Diablo franchise is about demons trying to take over the world and Hell on Earth, that sort of thing (but it's not Earth, the world is called Sanctuary). So something spicy seemed like a no-brainer to go with the dark eternal fire and damnation theme. I'm sure there are going to be a billion spicy recipes which is why I'm going to do something with caramel and chocolate too but I couldn't resist the spicy idea.

My favorite spicy food is jalapeno poppers. When I was pregnant with Grumpers, I couldn't eat enough of them. And 4 years later, I still can't resist them. So I thought I'd make a popper filling and stuff it in something. While I was toying with this recipe idea, I decided it had to be something that incorporated protein and that my family would eat (well the ones of them who actually do eat. darn picky eaters) because hey, I still had to make dinner and feed the family too. Solution: Chicken! It's an excellent vehicle for flavors because it has such a mild one of its own. Perfect.

And it was perfect too. Picky Eaters' Seal of Approval: THIS IS THE BEST CHICKEN EVER!!! Two thumbs, a cartwheel, a round-off, and the "this is so yummy in my tummy" dance that 4ft is famous for.

And the Husband, true to his word, came up with the name: Witch Doctor's Angry Chicken. The Witch Doctor is a character class in the video game and has a Hex that turns the player into an angry chicken that explodes. This dish could cause spontaneous combustion with how splendiferously delicious it is. Appropriate, no? 




Witch Doctor's Angry Chicken

Ingredients
4 "Thin-Sliced" Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts -- pounded even more thin and flat
4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/3 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese
1 TBS + 1/2 tsp of jarred jalapeno slices -- diced
1 1/2 tsp cooked bacon -- crumbled
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried chives
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices of ultra thin sliced Colby cheese
4 slices of ultra thin sliced Pepper Jack cheese

Directions
1.) Microwave cream cheese for 30 seconds to make it creamy and easier to stir.
2.) Add cheddar cheese, jalapeno, bacon, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, chives, and salt and pepper to cream cheese and mix together well.
3.) Divide jalapeno cheese mixture between flattened chicken breasts. Divide jalapeno cheese mixture between super flattened chicken breasts. Smear mixture over half of the chicken. Fold over the chicken so you have a jalapeno cheese chicken pocket. Anchor the open end opposite the fold of the pocket with toothpicks.
4.) Salt and pepper outside of chicken pocket on both sides.
5.) Grill on the barbecue over medium high heat. 5 minutes on each side.
6.) Add sliced cheeses (1 of each kind per chicken pocket) right before done and grill long enough to melt. 
7.) Remove from heat, let set 5 minutes, and serve.