Tonight’s Dinner: Spinach stuffed chicken

Bread based stuffings are delicious inside a roasted chicken or turkey, but if you don’t have time to roast and stuff a chicken, this easy stuffing is the perfect answer when all you want is a simple chicken breast.

Stuffing chicken breasts is one of my favorite ways to make a standard chicken breast all the more interesting. I’ve done it so many times that it seems like the family is having stuffed chicken at least once a month, if not more. If stuffing a chicken breast seems like a difficult thing to do, I’ve got a happy surprise for you: It couldn’t be simpler. All you need to do is either slice a pocket into the thickest part of the breast and spoon the stuffing inside or roll the chicken up around it. And with so many choices of stuffing from vegetables to fruit to cheese, you could be like me and end up having stuffed chicken every week and never have the same dinner twice.

Spinach stuffed chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons cheese and herb cooking spread
• 1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and garlic and saute until spinach is wilted, about two minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cheese spread, one cup of breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
3. Cut a pocket in the thickest part of each chicken breast, fill with the spinach mixture, secure with toothpicks and set aside.
4. Whisk together the egg and two tablespoons of the cheese spread in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the remaining breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to taste. Place the flour in a third bowl. Dip the chicken in the flour, then the egg mixture and finally the breadcrumb mixture.
5. Heat the remaining oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Place the breadcrumb coated chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until browned, about two minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the juices run clear. Serve immediately.

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Other spinach recipes

Amsterdam spinach salad

Chicken spinach bake

Steamed spinach with sesame seeds