Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast with Lemon White Wine Sauce

We eat a lot of chicken in my house and it is easy to get stuck in a rut with the same recipes repeatedly. Sometimes chicken can be a very boring dish and sometimes it can be an amazing one like the recipe I am about to share with you. It is a simple recipe that you can substitute and add too at your heart’s content. It is one of my favorite recipes and is great for entertaining.  They will think you spent hours and tons of money to make this great meal!
 

This recipe is for two people so if you are cooking for more just add as you need it.

Ingredients

Stuffing:

• 1 cup cooked, chopped, and drained fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1/2 cup Gorgonzola (if you don't like Gorgonzola, the Italian version of Bleu cheese, then you can also use Parmesan cheese)
• 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup homemade chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped Italian parsley leaves, for garnish

Chicken:

• 2 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

Beginby making the stuffing: In a bowl, combine the spinach (make sure that you have drained all of the water out of it), ricotta, Gorgonzola, and bacon and mix well. Season with salt and pepper (make sure you taste before you add more salt as the bacon and Gorgonzola will be salty). Add the egg, mix well, and then set aside.

 Place each chicken breast between 2 doubled-up sheets of plastic wrap, and pound to an even 1/4-inch thickness with a meat-pounder or rolling pin. Divide the stuffing between the breasts, mounding it along the center of each. Fold the bottom edge of each breast over the stuffing, fold in the sides, and roll forward until completely wrapped, to form a tight rolled package. Secure each flap with a toothpick. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, to taste.

The original recipe says that you should cook the chicken in a skillet over medium heat. You want to cook the chicken on each side about 2 minutes until they are browned and then cover the skillet, turn down the heat and cook until just cooked through...should take about 5 minutes.

Here is another option for cooking. This way you can stick the chicken in the oven and enjoy your time with your guests. Place the chicken in a greased baking dish and cook in the oven on about 350 degrees until the chicken is cooked. Halfway through the cooking process spoon the juices that have formed in the dish on top of the chicken.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

Now for 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.

If you cook the chicken in the saucepan, you can add the sauce to this after you have removed the chicken to scrape up all of the tasty little bits left by the chicken...

Slice the chicken into medallions, divide among plates, and spoon some of the sauce over each.Garnish with parsley and serve immediately...

Buon Appetito!!!