The 50 States of Stuffed Chicken Breasts

America, the beautiful. Fifty diverse states, each with its own unique culture and regional cuisine. But you know what we all have in common?

We all love eating chicken.

But man can't live on white meat alone. We're always on the lookout for ways to jazz up that old weeknight standby, the boneless, skinless chicken breast. And lately we've found that the best way to jam-pack a chicken breast full of flavor is to, well, stuff things inside of it.

Therefore, allow us to present the 50 States of Stuffed Chicken Breasts: 50 flavor-packed combos, one for each state. Just follow the basic stuffing technique below (and if your state flavor calls for breading,follow the breading process in this recipe). Now get stuffing!

Alabama

Chopped toasted pecans mixed with peach preserves.

Alaska

Smoked salmon and cream cheese.

Arizona

Chopped canned chipotle chiles mixed with honey, plus a slice of meltable white cheese, like mozzarella or jack.

Arkansas

Arkansas, home of the fried pickle: stuff the breasts with pickle slices and then coat in bread crumbs. Serve with a side of ranch dressing.

California

Black beans, Monterey Jack cheese, and salsa. Serve with sliced avocado.

Colorado

Sauteed, diced green chiles (or canned green chiles), queso fresco, cilantro.

Connecticut

A tribute toFrank Pepe's famous apizza: Stuffed with fresh mozzarella, minced garlic, and crispy chopped bacon, served withsteamed clamson the side.

Delaware

Crab and artichoke dip.

Florida

Cuban sandwich time! Except the bread is chicken breast: spread with dijon mustard and layer with sliced ham, Swiss, and pickles.

Georgia

Sliced peaches and a sprinkle of thyme leaves.

Hawaii

Sliced pineapple and sliced Spam.

Idaho

Store-bought hash browns (from Idaho, please), diced sauteed green pepper, a slice of ham.

Illinois

Love for the deep-dish pizza: Cooked, crumbled Italian sausage and mozzarella on the inside, tomato sauce on top. Always on top.

Indiana

Pork and beans. Either Indianapolis original Van Camp's or, if you're fancy,make your own.

Iowa

Crumbled Maytag blue cheese, corn kernels, and sliced tomato. If you want to go the extra Iowa mile, wrap the whole thing in bacon (with the ends tucked under the chicken breast).

Kansas

Stuffed with coleslaw and brushed with barbecue sauce.

Kentucky

The traditional tea sandwich flavors of cream cheese and cucumber fromBenedictine spread.

Louisiana

Stuffed with boudin and seasoned on top with your favorite Cajun spice mix.

From left to right: Georgia, Florida, and New York.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell

Maine

Wild blueberry jam and sautéed shallots.

Maryland

Crab stuffing.

Massachusetts

Chopped fresh cranberries and onions, quickly sautéed.

Michigan

Chopped dried cherries and herbed cream cheese.

Minnesota

Cooked wild rice, sliced sautéed mushrooms, and sour cream. Optional: tater tots on the side.

Mississippi

Pimento cheese.

Missouri

A tribute to thetoasted ravioli of St. Louis: stuff with ricotta and then coat in bread crumbs. Serve with a side of warm marinara.

Montana

Huckleberry chutney (follow this recipebut swap in fresh huckleberries).

Nebraska

Recreate the famous runza stuffed sandwiches in a chicken breast. Flavors may vary, but you can't go wrong with a sautéed combo of ground beef, diced onions, and chopped cabbage. Optional: add a slice of cheese.

Nevada

A nod to the martinis of Las Vegas: chopped pimento-stuffed green olives and shredded provolone.

New Hampshire

Mashed cooked butternut squash and maple syrup.

New Jersey

Stuff it like an Italian sandwich: Salami. Pepperoni. Capicola. Provolone. Sweet peppers. Season the whole thing with salt, pepper, and oregano, and drizzle it with oil and vinegar when it's done.

New Mexico

The original inventors of the Frito Pie: stuff that chicken breast with chile-seasoned ground beef and a super melty cheese like a mild cheddar, and then bread it in crushed Fritos.

New York

The flavor for this one was obvious. Stuffed with crumbled blue cheese, diced celery and carrots, and brushed with Buffalo wing sauce before and after cooking.

North Carolina

Make up a batch of hush puppies—we like these—and crumble them into a stuffing.

North Dakota

Sour cream and dill, a nod to the state's Scandinavian heritage.

From left to right: Michigan, Washington, and South Carolina.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell

Ohio

Goetta, the pork-and-oats sausage of Cincinnati.

Oklahoma

Cornbread and sausage stuffing.

Oregon

Rosemary, mushrooms, and Tillamook cheddar.

Pennsylvania

Philly cheesesteak (cheesechicken breast?) time: stuff it with thinly sliced cooked onions and your choice of cheese: American, provolone, or Cheez Whiz.

Rhode Island

Let's hear it for Portuguese flavors: Linguica sausage and sliced onions.

South Carolina

甚至塞满炖蔬菜和培根或包装the bacon around the outside, with the ends tucked underneath—and served over grits.

South Dakota

Rhubarb compote.

Tennessee

Stuff with crumbled biscuits and sausage, season with aMemphis-style dry rub.

Texas

Queso-stuffed chicken breast is the stuff dreams are made of: stuff it with American cheese, cooked, crumbled chorizo, and canned tomatoes with chile (like Rotel).

Utah

Funeral Potatoes go inside the chicken this time, not the side: Mix store-bought hash browns with shredded cheese and sour cream for the stuffing, and then bread the chicken with crushed cornflakes.

Vermont

Stuffed with cheddar and brushed with maple syrup before cooking.

Virginia

Country ham and mustard.

Washington

Sliced apples, caramelized onions, and fresh sage.

West Virginia

Pepperoni and sliced mozzarella, for the state's ubiquitous snack: the pepperoni roll.

Wisconsin

Sauerkraut, whole-grain mustard, and your favorite Wisconsin cheese.

Wyoming

Cooked ground bison, garlic, and chokecherry jam.