Walnut-Crusted Chicken Stuffed With Spinach And Feta

serves 2
Recipe from cookthink

This crusted chicken makes for an elegant plate when sliced and served with a lemon wedge. The walnut coating adds more flavor and texture than a normal breading.

instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Put the spinach in a medium saucepan with a splash of water over medium-high heat, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach wilts and turns bright green, 4-6 minutes. Put the spinach in a colander until it's cool enough to handle. Squeeze out most of the liquid by pressing with your hands or twisting the spinach in a clean kitchen towel.

2. Finely chop the spinach. In a medium bowl, combine the spinach and feta and season lightly with salt and pepper.

3. Put the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them until they're an even half-inch thickness. Season them on both sides with salt and pepper. Spread half of the spinach-feta filling evenly over each chicken breast. Roll each breast up like a cigar, pressing the filling in from the sides so it doesn't fall out. Seal them closed with a few pieces of kitchen twine.

4. Put the chopped walnuts onto a plate. Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until it's smooth. Dip each chicken breast in the egg white, rolling to coat evenly. Then, roll each breast in the walnuts, pressing them into the chicken so they form a coating.

5. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. When it's hot and shimmering, add the chicken breasts and leave them alone to brown. Carefully turn them with tongs, moving them gently back and forth so the walnut coating doesn't stick.

6. When all sides are brown, put the chicken in the oven. Cook until the chicken is just cooked through and the filling is hot, 20-30 minutes. Let the chicken cool some, then remove the twine with kitchen shears.