Spinach & Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken
A decadent stuffed chicken that is perfect for a special night, while also quick and easy enough for a weeknight. It's also gluten free!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, tender removed I used 5 larger breasts, 1 breast served 2 kids
- 1/2 cup soft fresh goats cheese cream cheese or boursin works as well
- zest of a lemon
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped pine nuts or pecans work well also
- 1 cup packed fresh baby spinach, chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
For Garnish
- juice of a lemon
- fresh chopped green herbs like parsley, cilantro or basil optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Heat a large cast iron skillet (or oven safe skillet) over low heat and toast the walnuts until lightly browned and fragrant. Add the walnuts to a bowl. Remove pan from heat.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken breasts down the sides lengthwise (as if opening a book). You can score the inside spine of the chicken to help it open further and achieve an even thickness on top and bottom - this will allow the chicken to cook evenly. Alternatively, you can place the chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag and pound to about 1/4-1/2" thickness with a meat mallet (I just used my metal lemon squeezer). This should make the chicken breasts large enough to fold over lengthwise once stuffed.
- Add remaining ingredients to the bowl with the walnuts and combine. It will seem like too much spinach at first, but if you keep mashing it together with the cheese it will become a nice mixture.
- Spoon about 2 Tbsp of filling down one side (lengthways) of each chicken breast. Pull the other side over the filling and flatten the chicken breast evenly.
- Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. You will do the other side of the chicken once added to the pan.
- Heat cast iron skillet (same one used for the walnuts) over medium heat. Once hot, add chicken seasoned side down. Drizzle the unseasoned side facing up with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Sear for 6 minutes until chicken is nicey browned and easily lifts from the pan.
- Flip chicken breasts and sear for 3 minutes.
- Transfer skillet to preheated oven and cook for additional 5-8 minutes until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. If you wan't more colour on top, set the oven to Broil for a minute or two, watching carefully so as to not burn it.
- Remove from the oven and tent with foil, allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a scattering of fresh herbs, if desired.
