Spinach, Ricotta & Tomato-stuffed Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Crust
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Mains
Description
Try making this delicious Mediterranean inspired dish – perfect for a Sunday lunch or family dinner.
Ingredients
Chicken Breasts
400 g bag baby spinach
1 Tbsp (15 ml) butter
1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 Tbsp (15 ml) garlic, finely chopped
½ C (100 g) cocktail tomatoes, quartered
1 Tbsp (15 ml) sundried tomato pesto
½ C (170 g) ricotta, crumbled
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
Pinch finely ground black pepper
4 (700 g) deboned and skinless chicken breasts
Topping
⅓ C (25 g) bread crumbs
¼ C (18 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Extra olive oil, for drizzling
Herbed Rice
2 C (300 g) Basmati rice, cooked
1 Tbsp (15 ml) parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp (15 ml) basil, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
To Serve
Lemon wedges
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 190 °C.
Chicken Breasts
Heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the baby spinach and sauté for until wilted down.
Stir in the garlic and tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the pesto, ricotta, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Slice a pocket into the side of each chicken breast without going all the way through.
Stuff each breast with the prepared filling and place into an ovenproof dish.
Topping
Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the chicken breasts and then drizzle of olive oil over crumbed topping.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the topping is crisp and golden.
Herbed Rice
Mix the cooked rice with the chopped herbs and season to taste.
Serve stuffed chicken breasts with herb rice and a wedge of lemon for squeezing over.
