I really like today’s recipe, Spinach Provolone Stuffed Chicken Breasts. It is so surprisingly easy to create, and yet very impressive looking.
Spinach Provolone Stuffed Chicken Breasts are full on tasty too. The chicken is butterflied and stuffed with sauteed spinach and provolone cheese. The piece de resistance is a simple but tasty tomato sauce.
Butterflying chicken breasts is easy peasy. You simply cut through one side of the breast until you get to the other side. It goes without saying that you don’t want the knife to cut through the breast completely. The final result is a kinda love heart shape, ready to be stuffed.
Now if you’re a true cheese lover, you can double up on the cheese by adding another slice inside the chicken and then another on top of each chicken breast once cooked. A lot of cheese, but a great addition for those who love themselves some cheese.
People often complain about chicken breast being a little dry and less tasty than other parts of the chicken. I disagree, but regardless, Spinach Provolone Stuffed Chicken Breasts is far from dry and flippin tasty. Practically all of the ingredients apply moisture, and as soon you pierce a chicken breast you will see and taste that this dish is super succulent.
Due to it’s simplicity, this dish is a great weeknight meal, but it looks so good that it could be served at a dinner party too. No matter when it is served, it will take just a little time – 15-20 mins to prepare and 15-20 mins to cook. Easy!
I served this dish on a bed of rice. Pasta, quinoa, couscous or any other staple will work too. The sauce and cheese oozes and requires something to soak it all up. Don’t let it go to waste.
Spinach Provolone Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Stuffed Chicken
- 4 x 6 oz - 8 oz chicken breasts
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic
- 6 oz fresh spinach
- 4 slices provolone
Equipment & Utensils
- Saucepan
- Saute pan
- Baking pan
- Colander
Instructions
Tomato Sauce
- Pour tomatoes and olive oil into saucepan and place on high heat.
- Allow tomatoes to heat through then add oregano, salt and pepper.
- Stir until flavors are combined, then remove from heat and set aside.
Stuffed Chicken
- Butterfly chicken breasts by slicing through one side of each breast almost all the way to the other side but not completely.
- Mix together 2 tbsp of olive oil with the oregano, salt and pepper and use this mixture to season butterflied chicken breast by rubbing it all over them.
- Place chicken breasts in butterfly position on a board or tray and set aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in saute pan and add garlic saute until aroma releases.
- Add spinach and saute until wilted, then remove from heat.
- Tip spinach into a colander to allow excess water to drain away
- Place one slice of provolone on top of each chicken breast
- Divide spinach mixture into four portions then add a portion of spinach on top of the provolone on each chicken breast.
- Fold chicken breasts to envelope the provolone and spinach then carefully place in a baking pan
- Drizzle 1/3 of the tomato sauce over the top of the chicken breasts and brush over them evenly.
- Place chicken breasts in a preheated oven at 425 and cook for 15-20 mins dependent upon thickness of chicken breasts.
- Remove chicken from oven and place one breast on each plate or all four on a platter.
- Pour the juices released from the baked chicken into the remainder of the tomato sauce and return to the heat.
- Allow sauce to heat through and flavors combine, then pour over chicken and serve immediately.
