SPINACH CREAM CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F
• For the Stuffing: heat the oil in a large saucepan or skillet
• Add the garlic, spinach, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 minute to soften the garlic and wilt the spinach
• Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature
• Reserve the cheese and bread and continue with the recipe
• Lay the chicken skin-side down on the work surface and sprinkle with the salt and pepper
• Spread the cool rice or spinach mixture evenly over the chicken
• If using the spinach stuffing, sprinkle the cheese and bread cubes on top of the spinach
• Roll the chicken up, tie with kitchen twine, and place in roasting pan
• Roast the ballottine for 1 hour
• Lift it from the pan and place it on a platter
• For the Sauce: Skim off and discard most of the fat from the drippings in the pan
• Add the water and wine to the drippings to deglaze the pan and heat over medium heat, stirring to loosen and melt the solidified juices
• Strain the juices into a saucepan
• Add the celery, onion, and carrot and bring to a boil over high heat
• Cover, reduce the heat to low, and boil gently for 5 minutes
• Stir in the dissolved potato starch and soy sauce and bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring, to thicken it
• Remove from the heat
• Transfer the ballottine to a cutting board and remove the twine
• Cut half of it into 4 or 5 slices, each about 1 inch thick
• Return the uncut half of the ballottine to the serving platter and arrange the cut slices in front of it
• Pour the sauce over and around the ballottine, garnish with the parsley, and serve
• Cut additional slices of ballottine as needed at the table

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until it begins to curl and turn red - you want it to be partially cooked but still flimsy. Place bacon on a paper towel while preparing other ingredients.
• In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese and chives. Set aside.
• Place chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, flatten chicken breasts until they're about 1/4 inch thick.
• Spoon a portion of the cream cheese mix and spread it in the center of the chicken breast, keeping at least a 1/2 inch gap from the edges clear.
• Starting with the smallest end, roll up the chicken breast. With the seam side of the chicken facing up, wrap pieces of bacon around it so that the ends of the bacon are tucked beneath the chicken. Wrapping this way should secure the bacon and keep the chicken wrapped. If needed, use toothpicks to help keep the chicken wrap together.
• Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Turn oven to broil for 5 minutes to crisp the bacon. If desired, sprinkle more fresh chopped chives on top.
• Serve immediately.