Stuffed Avocados

This recipe is so special to me now. First, this is my favorite thing to order at my favorite restaurant. The problem is you can only get it on Tuesdays and it just is not convienent for me to go down there on Tuesday. Also the last time I was able to make my way down there, the meal was a disappointment. The avocado has some bitterness to it and the chicken was dry and flavorless. After tooling around on the internets for a while I realized I could make this myself pretty easily, and I had some extra chicken in the fridge that I wasn't sure what I was going to do with so this would be perfect. As it turns out one of the avocados I picked out had the same bitter taste to it so maybe this recipe is best left for summer. Or if you a pro at picking out avocados then just pick up the ripest ones you can find that are still pretty firm. Other than the bitter avocado I think my recipe (avocado v avocado) tasted much better. Another reason why it is so special is I completely came up with the seasoning myself, and it my so humble opinion the seasoning is what make my version better than the restaurant. The thing it is missing is a nice hatch chili pepper sauce, so I'll have to work on that for next time.

What you'll need:

2 avocados

2 eggs

2C panko bread crumbs

2 chicken thighs

4 oz shredded jack cheese

Cumin- approx 2 tsp

Garlic- approx 1 tsp

S&P

Prep Your Dredge

2 eggs- beat

2C Panko- pour into bowl and season with 1 tsp salt

Prep Your 'Cados

Cut the avocados in half, remove the seed, and using a large spoon remove the flesh from the skin. Scrape out any flesh remaining in the skin and set aside. If desired carefully use a small spoon to increase the size of the crater (more room for cheese!) Add the flesh you removed to the extra avocado.

Prep Your Chix

If using rotisserie chicken, pull the chicken off the bone and discard the skin. Tear or cut into small pieces

Make Your Stuffing

Shred the cheese into the chicken. Add cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Taste the mixture and add seasoning. You want it to taste very flavorful so the seasonings will come through with all that avocado you'll be eating.

Put It All Together

Take enough of the chix mix to fill the avocado crater and press it together to form an egg like shape (try and match it to the shape of the hole you are stuffing) Hold the cado in your hand and gently press the mixture in. With one hand, carefully dip the cado in the egg, remove and let the excess drip off. Using the same hand set the cado into the panko crumbs and turn over. Make sure it is fully covered. Put on a plate and repeat with the remaining avocado halves. Let rest for about 5 minutes.

To make avocado balls: take your extra avocado and left over chix mix and combine. Form into balls and dredge the same way you did the avocado halves.

I used two cooking methods to try and see if I could do it the real way and the semi healthier way.

Real way:

Before you start the prep, fill a cast iron skillet (or any deep skillet) with two inches of oil. If using shortening melt the shortening on low and when you are ready to fry, increase the temperature to med-high. You want the oil hot but not smoking. Smoking is very very bad. Get your spatter screen out and use a slotted spoon to place the halves and balls into the oil. Cover with splatter screen and cook 2-3 minutes until the coating is dark brown. Turn over and cook another 2-3 minutes until GBD. I finished these in the oven to make sure the cheese was nice and melty.

Semi healthier way:

Before you start the prep, heat the oven to 450. Put ½ tsp oil into a small baking dish or pie pan if that is all you have handy. Cook the avocados and avocado balls until they are gbd (about 15 minutes) I actually cooked mine 15 minutes and then an additional 5 minutes on broil to get them really dark brown. If you decide to do this do not take your eyes off of them. They will turn from perfect to burnt in an instant.