Spinach and Pine Nut Stuffed Chicken

Marinated then grilled, these stuffed chicken breasts are filled with baby spinach, garlicky shiitake mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts. They are so juicy and full of flavor. You won’t believe how good they are. 

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon Italian seasoning

Salt

Black pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon paprika

3 ½ ounce package shiitake mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press

½  cup pine nuts

1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves

¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil, preferably)

4 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped, divided use

1 lemon, sliced into 4 circles for garnish

Preparation:

Begin by gathering and preparing all of your ingredients according to the ingredients list above to have ready and organized for use.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil.

To marinate the chicken breast, place them into a bowl or onto a large plate and add about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the lemon zest and juice, the Italian seasoning, a good pinch of salt, of good pinch of pepper, the garlic powder and the paprika, and toss to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate for about 20 minutes (or even overnight if preparing ahead).

While the chicken marinates, place a medium-size pan over medium-high heat and add about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; once hot, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms, and once the mushrooms begin to soften, add the pinch of salt and the pinch of black pepper, plus the 2 cloves of pressed garlic to the pan, and sauté quickly for about 1-2 minutes, until slightly golden. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside until ready to use for the filling.

Once the chicken breasts are marinated, heat a grill pan on medium-high heat; once very hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and add the marinated chicken breasts to the grill pan. Cook the chicken breasts for only 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown on the outside. (The chicken should not be cooked through at this point.)

Remove the chicken from the grill pan, and when cool enough to handle, make a large slit into the thickest part of the breast to create a deep pocket, taking care not to slice all the way through the breast.

Next, stuff each breast with a few leaves of the baby spinach, a spoonful of the sun-dried, 2 tablespoons of pine nuts, tomatoes, a spoonful of the sautéed shiitake mushrooms, and a pinch of the chopped parsley.

Secure each breast by using 2 toothpicks to hold the breast closed, and place each spinach stuffed chicken breast onto the foil lined baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven and remove the toothpicks.

Garnish each spinach stuffed chicken breast with a slice of lemon, a sprinkle of pine nuts, plus a sprinkle of the chopped parsley, and serve while hot with a green salad, or your favorite sides.

Download recipe here