Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Lemony White Wine Food

SPINACH RICOTTA STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH LEMON WHITE WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the stuffing: In a medium bowl, combine the swiss and ricotta cheese, chopped spinach and bacon. Mix well, season with salt and pepper and set aside. To make the sauce: Add the wine and stock to the small saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce until it reaches a sauce like consistency. If you are having trouble reaching a sauce-like consistency add the cornstarch disolved in water to help create a thicker sauce. Whisk in the lemon juice, mustard and season with salt. Set aside. To make the chicken: Pound each of the chicken breasts between two layers of plastic wrap to about ¼ of and inch thick. Place about ¼ of the prepared stuffing along the center of each breast. Fold the two edges to the center and then fold the bottom rolling forward to form a tight bundle. Secure with toothpicks. You may find it easier to keep the stuffing inside the chicken by tying it with butchers string. Season each breast with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat to medium high heat. Make sure the pan is well preheated. Lay the breasts into the pan (lay away from you to prevent splashing). Brown the chicken breasts evenly on all sides. This will take about two minutes per side. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 5 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. If you have an instant read thermometer the internal temperature should reach 160 to 165 degrees F. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes. The internal temperature will continue to rise to 165 degrees F. Meanwhile, add the sauce to the skillet, heat and scrape up all the brown bits left in the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to avoid scratching the non-stick pan. To serve: Slice the chicken into medallions, arrange on four plates. Spoon the sauce over the sliced chicken, garnish as desired and serve immediately with steamed veggies. This is a great dish to make to impress company. The breasts can be stuffed in advance and held in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook them. Notes: The sauce can be very lemony, you don't need much. Any remaining sauce is great to drizzle over any accompanying vegetables. This recipe makes a lot of stuffing, try not to over-stuff the breasts or use large sized chicken breasts. You could also substitute chopped sun-dried tomatoes instead of the bacon. It also works well if you substitute the swiss cheese with feta cheese (especially with the sun-dried tomatoes).

SPINACH-RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes; season with salt. (You should have about 4 heaping cups of sauce.)
• Make the stuffed shells: Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook as the label directs for baking, about 9 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Spread out on a baking sheet.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a large plate lined with a kitchen towel. Squeeze to remove any excess liquid, then finely chop.
• Put the spinach in a large bowl and add the ricotta, mozzarella, parsley, Parmesan, lemon zest, beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir until combined.
• To assemble, spread about half of the sauce in the bottom of a 10-by-14-inch baking dish. Evenly fill the shells with the spinach-ricotta mixture using a spoon, or pipe it in using a pastry bag. Arrange the shells side by side, open-side up, in the baking dish on top of the sauce, then top with the remaining sauce.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake until heated through and the sauce is simmering around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until any shells or cheese poking through the sauce are lightly browned in spots, about 10 more minutes. Let sit 10 minutes. Top with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes.

SPINACH RICOTTA-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
• Stuffing: In large skillet, heat butter over medium heat; cook onion and garlic stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened.
• Add spinach, parsley and basil; cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until spinach wilts and moisture evaporates.
• Let cool completely.
• In bowl, mix spinach mixture, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, egg yolk, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
• Using sharp knife, bone chicken, leaving skin attached.
• Gently loosen skin from 1 long side of each breast, leaving skin attached at curved side.
• Stuff about 1/4 cup (50 mL) stuffing under skin, pressing to spread evenly.
• Tuck ends of skin and meat underneath.
• Place on greased rack in foil-lined pan.
• Brush with butter.
• Bake in oven, basting occasionally, for about 35 minutes or until golden and chicken is no longer pink inside.

SPINACH RICOTTA-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH LEMONY WHITE WINE

Steps:

• Make the Stuffing: In a bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, Gorgonzola,and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add the egg, mix well, and set aside.
• Make the Sauce: Combine the wine and stock in a non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a sauce-like consistency. Whisk in the mustard, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• Make the Chicken: Slice chicken along side.
• Divide the stuffing between the breasts, and insert in flap.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Cover the skillet, turn the heat down to low, and cook until just cooked through, about 5 minutes more.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the sauce into the skillet over high heat and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon.
• Slice the chicken into medallions, divide among plates, and spoon some of the sauce over each. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.