Feta-Stuffed Chicken

By Heritage330

The feta and fat-free cream cheese stuffing make this main dish chicken recipe rich in taste yet low in calories.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup crumbled basil-and-tomato feta cheese (1 ounce)* see savings
• 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese (1 ounce) see savings
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 pounds total) see savings
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper see savings
• Dash salt see savings
• 1 teaspoon olive oil or cooking oil see savings
• 1/4 cup chicken broth see savings
• 1 10-ounce package prewashed fresh spinach, trimmed (8 cups) see savings
• 2 tablespoons walnut or pecan pieces, toasted see savings
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice see savings
• Lemon slices, halved (optional) see savings

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a small bowl combine feta cheese and cream cheese; set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut a horizontal slit through the thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff pockets with the cheese mixture. If necessary, secure openings with wooden toothpicks. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt.

2. In a large nonstick skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat about 12 minutes or until tender and no longer pink, turning once (reduce heat to medium if chicken browns too quickly). Remove chicken from skillet. Cover and keep warm.

3. Carefully add chicken broth to skillet. Bring to boiling; add half of the spinach. Cover and cook about 3 minutes or just until spinach is wilted. Remove spinach from skillet, reserving liquid in pan. Repeat with remaining spinach. Return all spinach to skillet. Stir in the nuts and lemon juice.

4. To serve, divide spinach mixture among 4 dinner plates. Top with chicken breasts. If desired, garnish with lemon slices.

Makes 4 servings.

*Note If basil-and-tomato feta cheese is not available, stir 1 teaspoon finely snipped fresh basil and 1 teaspoon snipped oil-pack dried tomatoes, drained, into 1/4 cup plain feta cheese.