Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Chicken. I have had several requests for more quick & easy dinner recipes. Everyone loves recipes that get you dinner to the table fast without a lot of prep work. Here is another recipe that I really like because not only is it easy &  affordable but you can change the ingredients slightly for a whole new flavor. I love versatile recipes like that! You can change the flavor of the cheese you use, you can substitute boneless pork loin or thick cut boneless pork chops for the chicken and change out the spinach for any other type of thin cut veggie that will cook fast or substitute the spinach with thinly sliced ham, pepperoni or salami. It all works. Use whatever you have on hand or whatever is on sale at the grocery store. If you have leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken that is already cooked...you can just layer everything in a greased casserole dish and bake. It will turn out heavenly! It is a great way to "recycle" that leftover holiday turkey!

I like it because you just slice partway through the chicken or pork and put your ingredients in the slits, sprinkle with your favorite seasoning, cover & bake or grill (or you can even just put it in the crock pot before work so it is ready when you get home! Just be sure to add some fluid to the crock pot so you don't burn your meat). How easy is that? These freeze great too so feel free to make a big batch of them and freeze either before or after cooking for a super quick meal later. I serve with rice or gluten free pasta. Depending on what flavor seasonings and "fillings" I use in the chicken (or pork) will determine how I season my rice or pasta. Sometimes I just keep it simple and sprinkle on a light drizzle of olive oil with the same seasoning I used on the chicken.  (The Weber brand Zesty Lemon flavor seasoning is great on rice & pasta in place of sauce. You can use seasonings to season a lot of things besides meat! Think outside the box! It is a great way to make your own gluten free seasoned rice!) Most of the boxed seasoned rice contain gluten so I like to make my own. Not only is it healthier but it sure tastes great & more affordable! (I AM NOT GETTING PAID TO SPONSOR OR GETTING FREE PRODUCTS TO PROMOTE PRODUCTS. I DON'T HAVE ADS ON MY BLOG. I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU WHAT I LIKE & USE AT HOME IN MY KITCHEN!) One of my co-workers got me hooked on the Weber seasonings & I love them! They are very flavorful, affordable & labeled gluten free!

Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Recipe:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or pork loin or thick cut boneless chops. You could probably do this with thick cut boneless beef too)
• handful of fresh spinach (or substitute any thinly cut vegetable that will cook fast like zucchini, onions, peppers, kale, etc.)
• Sliced Cheese (any flavor, I just don't use processed cheese like American because it melts too fast and makes a mess)
• Seasoning to sprinkle on top of the meat (any flavor you want. I used Weber brand Zesty Lemon flavor in today's recipe. It is labeled gluten free & it is very flavorful. It has a strong lemon flavor!)

Here is my boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I'm only making two today!

One of my new favorite seasonings. Gluten Free!

Cut the chicken or pork just a little over half way through to make slits. Don't cut it all the way through.

Stuff the slits with your ingredients & sprinkle with seasoning. Bake 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until chicken juice runs clear. I bake it in a covered dish to keep the chicken moist and help it cook faster. If you are putting it on the grill, I like to wrap in foil that has been sprayed with a light coat of oil to keep everything from sticking & keep the chicken moist. If you are putting it in the crock pot...be sure to add water or fluid to keep it from burning.

Here is the chicken after 25 minutes in my oven. I save the juice from the meat  and use it to make my instant rice. It adds a lot of extra flavor. It will be like using a flavored chicken broth. Since these were lean chicken breasts, it isn't fatty.

Ready to eat!

Up close view of how moist & delicious it is!

See how great the seasoning is covering the chicken? Yummy!

Looks like a fancy restaurant dish but it only took a few minutes & a few ingredients to prepare before you stuff it in the oven to bake. Whip up some instant rice or pasta if you are in a hurry & you have a quick, inexpensive dinner! :)

Inside of the chicken after it was cut. Moist & juicy!

I hope you enjoy this super affordable, quick & easy dish that looks like you spent a lot of time and money on it. It is impressive enough to serve guests but simple enough for any weeknight dinner. Yep, these are the recipes I like. Simple, affordable, casual yet delicious! Have a great day!

Enjoy!
Tanja
Gluten Free Casually