Breaded Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Spinach and Cheese

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Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt, pepper to taste
  • 8 oz mozzarella or pepper-jack cheese

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Breading:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ½ cup italian breadcrumbs (optional)
  • ¼ cup oil (vegetable or canola) for frying
  • 1 cup marinara sauce

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375 Degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 20 seconds or until it begins to brown on the edges. spinach-stuffed-chicken-1-of-37

Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper.

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Cook for about a minute until the spinach wilts (You can also use thawed, frozen spinach instead of fresh, but you will only need a small amount, since the spinach is already wilted). Set aside to cool.

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While the spinach is cooling, butterfly and pound the chicken breasts even. Top with 2-3 teaspoons of spinach and 2 slices of mozzarella or pepperjack cheese. Roll up tightly. Repeat with remaining chicken.

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Prep the breading station. Crack 2 eggs in a large plate. Combine panko and italian breadcrumbs in another plate. Dredge the chicken in the egg wash and then in the breadcrumbs.

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Heat up ¼ cup oil in a 8 or 10 inch skillet on medium high heat, until the oil is hot and shimmering. Add the chicken to the oil and cook for about 1-2 minutes on all 4 sides, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides.

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Pour 1 cup marinara sauce in a 13×9 oven safe pan. Place chicken breasts on the sauce and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

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