Ingredients:
4 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
toothpicks
1 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
2 tablespoons butter
12 small mushroom caps ( crimini or button)
2 garlic cloves, cracked or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small shallots ( quartered)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine ( not cooking wine)
1 cup chicken broth
Directions:
You will also need: large plastic food storage bags or waxed paper.
Place breasts in the center of a plastic food storage bag or between 2 sheets of waxed paper.
Pound out the chicken from the center of the bag outward with a mallet or a heavy skillet.
Be firm and controlled with your strokes.
Defrost spinach in the microwave.
Transfer spinach to a kitchen or a piece of cheese cloth.
Twist towel around spinach and wring it out until the spinach is very dry.
Transfer the spinach to a medium size mixing bowl.
Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
When skillet is hot, add the butter, mushrooms, garlic and shallot.
Season with salt and pepper, and saute 5 minutes.
Transfer mushrooms, garlic and shallot to a food processor.
Pulse to grind the mushrooms, and transfer to the mixing bowl, adding the processed mushrooms to the spinach.
Add ricotta and grated cheese and nutmeg to the bowl.
Stir to combine the stuffing.
Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat.
Place a mound of stuffing on each breast, and wrap and roll breast over the stuffing.
Secure breasts with toothpicks.
Add 3 Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet.
Add breasts to the skillet and brown on all sides, about 10 to 12 minutes.
The chicken will cook quickly, because it is thin.
Remove breasts.
Add butter and flour to the skillet.
Cook butter and flour 1 minute.
Whisk in the wine and reduce for another minute.
Whisk in the chicken broth, and then return the breasts to the skillet.
Reduce the heat and simmer until ready to serve.
Remove the toothpicks.
Serve the breasts either whole, or slice on an angle and fan out on the dinner plates.
Top the stuffed chicken breasts or sliced stuffed chicken breasts with generous spoonfuls of the sauce.
Servings: 4
Time preparation: 15 min.
Time total: 35 min.