Spinach Ricotta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This is an adopted recipe originally posted by MeanChef. I have left it unchanged it is just as he originally posted it. When I discovered this wonderful recipe online, I hadn’t yet discovered Zaar. It was months later I found Recipezaar and nearly a year later when I realized our favourite stuffed chicken breasts, that we often serve at dinner parties, was in fact a Zaar recipe. When I reviewed this in April ’04 I mentioned that I often like to serve it with fresh tomato and basil sauce.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6  chicken breasts (about 2 1/2 pound)
• 1  tablespoon butter, melted

• Stuffing

• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  small onion, finely chopped
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chopped fresh spinach
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh basil
• 1⁄2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1⁄2 cup  shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2  tablespoons  grated parmesan cheese
• 1  egg yolk
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  pinch nutmeg
• 1  pinch pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
2. Stuffing: In large skillet, heat butter over medium heat; cook onion and garlic stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened.
3. Add spinach, parsley and basil; cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until spinach wilts and moisture evaporates.
4. Let cool completely.
5. In bowl, mix spinach mixture, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, egg yolk, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
6. Using sharp knife, bone chicken, leaving skin attached.
7. Gently loosen skin from 1 long side of each breast, leaving skin attached at curved side.
8. Stuff about 1/4 cup (50 mL) stuffing under skin, pressing to spread evenly.
9. Tuck ends of skin and meat underneath.
10. Place on greased rack in foil-lined pan.
11. Brush with butter.
12. Bake in oven, basting occasionally, for about 35 minutes or until golden and chicken is no longer pink inside.