Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Roll
from https://www.tasteofhome.com/
My chicken bundles are simple, clean and comforting. Serve them with wild rice and green beans for one of our favorite meals. —Jim Knepper, Mount Holly Springs, Pennsylvania
The recipe starts by sauteeing the spinach until soft and tender, and then rolling the cooked greens with tangy feta into a flattened chicken thigh. Seared and then roasted, the finished chicken is juicy, tender and loaded with greens and cheese. A pan sauce is made from the dripping in the pan and chicken broth.
Protein and green vegetables are covered in this recipe as-is, but it would be excellent paired with something starchy to pick up any extra sauce. Roasted vegetables or baked potato wedges are an excellent match, but you could also make rice pilaf, mashed potatoes or bread.
Variations
- Use a different leafy green: Swiss chard, kale braised collard greens, escarole or even cabbage would all be tasty additions to this dish. Measure them by weight using a kitchen scale, if possible, and strip out any firm ribs to make sure the leaves soften enough during the saute step.
- Change out the cheese: Feta adds a pleasant sour tanginess to this stuffed chicken dish, but you could instead use another kind of tender, milky cheese. Fresh chevre would be wonderful, as would fresh mozzarella or a garlic and herb-infused Gournay cheese such as Boursin. Add another layer of flavor:
- Season the spinach and feta filling by folding in another element such as chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives or minced anchovies.
8 ounces fresh spinach (about 10 cups)
1-1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs [or chicken breasts]
1/2 teaspoon chicken seasoning
3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon butter
Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, cook and stir spinach over medium-high heat until wilted. Stir in vinegar, sugar and pepper; cool slightly.
Pound chicken thighs with a meat mallet to flatten slightly; sprinkle with chicken seasoning. Top chicken with spinach mixture and cheese. Roll up chicken from a long side; tie securely with kitchen string.
In an ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add chicken and brown on all sides. Transfer to oven; roast until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170°, 13-15 minutes.
Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. On stovetop, add broth and butter to skillet; bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Cook until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes. Serve with chicken.
Yield: 2 servings
