Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken with Rice Pilaf

After last night's vegetarian dinner, I decided to give Jeremy a nice meaty dinner tonight. (He gets a little whiny if we eat too many vegetarian meals in a row...) And I needed to use up some fresh spinach. So I decided to try stuffing some chicken breasts. As Jeremy loves spinach and feta and the combination is yummy, an idea was born. I paired this with some simple rice pilaf as rice is also one of our favorite ingredients. This could certainly be made using frozen chopped spinach but I needed to use some fresh spinach before it spoils. Overall, this was a delicious dinner that took just a little more work than usual. I will certainly be making this again.

As I'm writing this, Jeremy's complaining that there isn't anymore chicken in the kitchen for him to eat. Maybe I'll have to double the recipe next time...

Also, I need to give a big thank you to Jeremy, my awesome dishwasher. The pan for the chicken looks like it might be a little more difficult to clean than usual. But like always, he'll manage to clean it all up so I can make a mess again tomorrow. :)

Recipe:

Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 oz. fresh baby spinach

1/2 c. crumbled feta

1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Rice Pilaf
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. long-grain rice
2 c. chicken stock
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
salt and pepper

1. Place spinach in a large glass bowl with 2 tbs. water. Microwave for 3 minutes, stir, and microwave again for 2 minutes. Allow to cool. Squeeze liquid from the spinach, chop finely, and return to bowl. Add feta, black pepper, and nutmeg and mix until combined.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butterfly chicken breasts. Pound out with meat mallet or skillet until 1/4" thick.
3. Place 1/2 of filling on each chicken breast, leaving about an inch uncovered at one end. Begin rolling at the filled end, ending with the uncovered end.
4. Place breadcrumbs on a large plate. Roll the chicken rolls in the breadcrumbs until coated.
5. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to cover the bottom. Add the chicken to the pan seam-side down and cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown all over. Transfer the skillet to the oven to continue cooking for 18-20 minutes.
6. While the chicken is cooking on the stove, heat another pan on medium heat for the rice pilaf. Add olive oil to coat the bottom and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender. Add rice and stir to coat in the oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the rice smells nutty. Add chicken stock, thyme, salt and pepper (to taste). Stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Rice should cook for about 20 minutes. When all liquid is absorbed, turn the heat off and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
7. Chicken is done when a thermometer in center registers 170 degrees (in both meat and filling). Allow to rest of 2-3 minutes before serving.