TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL)-- If you appreciate multicultural cuisine, with a festive holiday pop, then my “Festivus Chicken” recipe is a must try. Having a multicultural family, I’ve never been afraid to cook different things. This year I’m making an Italian dish. I like to use fresh, healthy ingredients whenever I can. The vine ripe tomatoes and fresh green spinach not only packs this dish full of flavor, but it adds Christmas colors for a presentation that is sure to wow. Bon appétit!
Serves 6-8 people
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
2.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
½ diced large white onion
½ bag frozen spinach or 1 bag of fresh spinach
1 can diced tomatoes or 3 vine ripened tomatoes
Salt
Pepper
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese
¼ cup shredded Asiago cheese
Preparation
Trim any excess skin off of the chicken and slice each breast diagonally ¾ of the way.
If using frozen spinach, defrost in the microwave or let thaw prior to cooking
Drain any excess water from canned tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, peel, cut in half and squeeze the seeds and excess juice out. Dice fresh tomatoes and set aside.
Mix 3 cheeses together and set aside
In a hot skillet or frying pan, add approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Coat pan and when oil is heated, added chicken. Make sure to pat the chicken dry after it is trimmed and cleaned. Cook each side of the chicken on high heat for 2-4 minutes, or until a nice brown color appears. Remove chicken from pan, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a hot skillet, add approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil and coat pan. Make sure oil is hot and added diced onion. Sautee onion until transparent; about 1-2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, garlic and spinach and continue to sauté for about 2-4 minutes.
Place chicken in a deep casserole dish with the flap side facing up. Add the sautéed spinach mix along with a sprinkling of cheese mix and fold each breast over, closing the contents inside. After each breast is complete, sprinkle any additional cheese over all of the breasts.
Place in oven for 10-15 minutes.
Remove and cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 5-7 minutes.
Add to a serving platter, sprinkle with dried parsley flakes and enjoy
