Mar 5, 2010

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts




If you like Spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) you will love this chicken! Spinach pie filling stuffed inside a chicken breast, baked to perfection, oh my! This is one of my experiments gone better than expected.




Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes 
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 2 pieces Old Points: 4 pts Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 205 Fat: 3.8 g Protein: 32.0 g Carb: 10.6 g Fiber: 2.6 g   


Ingredients:

  • 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and juice squeezed out
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1/2 cup (2.5 oz) fat free Feta cheese
  • 1/3 cup fat free ricotta
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped scallions
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 (1.25 lbs) chicken breast halves
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs (I used 4C)
  • spray oil
  • toothpicks

In a small sauté pan, heat oil. Add onions, garlic and scallions and sauté about 1 minute. Add spinach and parsley, salt and pepper and cook another minute. Remove from heat, add feta and ricotta cheese.



Preheat oven to 350°.

Slice chicken breast halves into 3 thin cutlets. Pound them to make them thinner. This helps when you wrap the cutlets. Season chicken with salt and pepper.



Place just under 1/4 cup of spinach mixture in the center of the chicken. Roll it and secure the ends with toothpicks to prevent filling from coming out. It's ok if it's not perfect. The egg wash and breadcrumbs keep everything in place.



Dip chicken into egg wash, then breadcrumbs.



Spray cookie sheet with oil and place chicken on cookie sheet. Lightly spray chicken with oil and bake about 25 minutes, until cooked through. Remove toothpicks and serve.

Makes 9 pieces.

More stuffed chicken breast recipes:
Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
Chicken Cordon Bleu
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77 comments:

  1. I've done a recipe like this before and it's very good. I like to add a little nutmeg though. It complements the spinach

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  2. This looks so good! What a great idea!!

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  3. Looks yummy! Reminds me of the Weight Watchers Chicken Florentine recipe that is in their pamphlet.

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  4. Just found this blog. It's WONDERFUL, you're doing a great job posting these recipes, I'm sure it's helped so many people get on the right track to losing weight!!!
    Everything looks delicious.... it's feels so much better eating healthy!

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  5. Gina, those look wonderful! My family will be trying them soon!

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  6. I love your website....so thank you!! But I have had trouble finding fat free ricotta cheese. Any suggesstions for substitutes or ideas on where to find it?

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  7. My family loves it when I make these, yours do sound better than the way I do them!

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  8. Gina - First of all, I feel like there are not enough days in the week to try all your yummy looking recipes!

    Second, I feel really stupid asking this. when you say "chicken breast halves" and cut them into "cutlets", I am totally confused. Do you cut them into strips (i.e. chicken tenders) or are you cutting them down the middle of the whole breast making really thin breast-shaped pieces?

    Thanks, Angela

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  9. @Stefanie- If you can't find fat free ricotta, use low fat ricotta.

    @Angela- Cut them into thin cutlets, not tenders. I get 3 out of each breast. Sorry for the confusion!

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  10. Fat free ricotta is difficult for me to fin also so when I have the time I'll usually make my own. It's not as difficult a you might think.

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  11. These look delicious. I'll have to try them sometime.
    God Bless!

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  12. Made these tonight. I thought they were great, my husband said they were 'fine'. But, hey, I cook so if I like it that's what matters. I had no ricotta, so used fat-free cottage cheese (I do this with lasagna also). Added greek/mediterranean seasoning-yum. Liked the nutmeg suggestion, too.

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  13. Anything like this that seems too good to be true, good for you..I enjoy so thanks for the share!

    Trainer T. Fitness

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  14. @Anonymous- LOL. I say the same thing, some meals my husband doesn't like, I still make because I like them. Hard to please everyone sometimes!

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  15. Made these last night and it was a hit for me and the hubby! :) I plated them and had slices of lemon to squeeze on them before they were about to be eaten -- gives it a nice acidic touch to it!! Thanks Gina!!!

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  16. I love the lemon idea!

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  17. I was inspired by your chicken and decided to give it a try. I didn't go with your recipe exactly but used the ingredients that I had available. It was delicious! Thanks for the inspiration! I blogged about my chicken so come check it out. http://foodjunkiefromtexas.blogspot.com/2010/03/grilled-spinach-and-ricotta-stuffed.html

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  18. I made this Thursday and it was a great hit with my SO and our guests. I paired it with the orzo and broccoli and we all loved it.

    I had trouble cuttign the cutlets but I think I need more practice - they weren't as pretty as your pictures but the taste was spot on.

    Thanks so much!

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  19. I also had a hard time finding fat-free ricotta, so i used skim ricotta. i also spray the top of the chicken with olive oil so it crisps up more.

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  20. These were amazing! I have purchased a similar product from the store (premade) before and these home made ones were so easy and way more delicious...I would definately make them again in the future!

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  21. This is my favorite recipe so far! The first time I made this, I didn't even get a chance to taste it because my brothers and nephews ate up all the breasts. And they are HELLA picky eaters, so I knew then that this recipe rocked! Thank you, thank you, thank you for being so awesome!

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  22. Thanks everyone for leaving your comments! These are fun, the possibilities are endless. I've made an inside out chicken parmesan with this tecnique. Also stuffed them with sauteed mushroom and Swiss. Enjoy!

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  23. I feel as if Im going to have a hard time with making the cutlets out of the halves of chicken breast- do you think I can just buy thinner cutlets from the grocery store and use those?
    -Colleen

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  24. Yes, of course! Buying thin cutlets is the easiest way to make these. They just cost a little more.

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  25. This was delicious!! My sister and I made this the other night. I love your website. Thanks so much for sharing all of these great eats! :)
    Blogged about it here: http://mamasmessages.blogspot.com/2010/08/tasty-thursday-feta-and-spinach-stuffed.html

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  26. What is the fat/fiber content of this meal?

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  27. Gina: what is a delicious, healthy side-dish to go with this meal that will be a little more filling than cucumbers?

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  28. You could make this with broccoli and orzo, http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/03/broccoli-and-orzo.html or Rice with Spinach http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/06/rice-with-spinach.html

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  29. I'm going to make these tonight but I'm cooking for one so I was going to freeze some. Do you recommend freezing before or after baking them? I love this blog!!

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  30. I'm so glad I found this site. I had been wanting to try this recipe for a while, and I finally made it last night. I cooked it for my mom and vegetable averse dad. They loved it! My dad said it looked very gourmet, which I only have you to thank for :). All the Best!

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  31. So they weren't the prettiest things I've ever made, but they tasted REALLY good! I'm very happy with them and will definitely make these again!

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  32. I made these last week and they were yummy, but they came out a bit dry, I think I over cooked them...thanks

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  34. Made this last night and DH and I LOVED it! I'm so thankful to have found this site. Thank you again Gina for creating recipes that are light and most importantly YUMMY!

    Paired it with this Shepherd Salad http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/shepherds-salad-recipe/index.html recipe from Sunny Anderson's "Cooking for Real." I lightened it up by using only 1 Tbsp Olive Oil instead of 4 and 3.5 oz crumbled Fat Free Feta (what was left over from the 6 oz package I bought for the stuffed chicken.) Also used Kalamatas instead of black olives for a more intense punch. Makes 4 - 1 cup servings at 3.25 points ea or 8 - 1/2 cup servings at 2 points ea.

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  35. Gina, I made these tonight and my husband and 17 year old daughter and myself all loved them. Yet another 'keeper' from your site! My family thank you!! I have been cooking a lot more since finding your wonderful recipes. 5 for 5, can't wait to try #6 this week (am leaning towards the baked macaroni).

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  36. Not going to lie - these are hard work but totally worth it. Mine didn't look very pretty either but that doesn't matter since they were so good!

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  37. OMG amazing. Great way to make chicken and is very filling! I made it tonight and I love it.

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  38. i can't wait to try this!

    kind of a weird question: one of my roommates is a vegetarian and i want to make something for a little family dinner. any suggestions of what vegetable i could stuff this mixture into so she could have something too? looks sooo good!

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  39. This sounds wonderful - can't wait to try it - one question - I am a little confused about something - the recipe calls for 1/2 c. bread crumbs, but you used 4? Maybe I am misreading something! Thanks so much -

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  40. Lauren, Why not filo cups or puff pastry to make spinach pies?

    Anonymous - 4C is the brand of breadcrumbs. :)

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  41. thanks, gina!!

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  42. Can you use cooked spinach instead of frozen uncooked? I have some steamed spinach in the fridge im trying to use....

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  43. Made this tonight, it was great! Didn't use the Feta but just used some Mozzarella I had on hand instead and it was still fabulous. Another winner!

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  44. I just made this last night and I felt like I cheated on WW! It was so good and I went to bed so satisfied. My husband loved it, too. Thank you for your website!

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  45. Made this tonight, another Gina hit!

    HOWEVER - how on Earth do you roll those so cleanly?! Maybe it's because we buy portioned chicken breasts? but splitting one into three cutlets make them so small, I can't wrap anything! Can you do a "tutorial" post on how you make it so pretty??

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    1. Totally agreed!

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  46. Next time buy thin pre-sliced cutlets, it's easier.

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  47. We enjoyed this tonight. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the cutlets cut right and the chicken was a little torn up, so we didn't do the breadcrumbs. However, it didn't matter because it was still delicious. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  48. My husband doesn't care for ricotta and he doesn't like cottage cheese. What do you think would make a good swap?

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  49. I didn't want to buy the ricotta, so I just left it out and, wow, these were delicious!! DH loved them! I recommend cutting the breasts half frozen. It makes it so much easier and nicer looking. This recipe is SO MUCH MORE tasty than I thought! (Oh, I'm also interested in knowing if you recommend freazing these after they've been cooked?

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  50. I thInk freezing them would be okay.

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  51. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Someone advertised your site on MyFitnessPal.com and I have been an addict ever since! Your food looks amazing, I tried the turkey meatloaf cupcake recipe last night with success and tonight I am trying this one! You have given me belief that healthy can be delicious! Thanks again!

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  52. Just an update, I tried this recipe tonight with goat cheese substituted in for the ricotta/feta blend cause thats all we had on hand. It was still really good! My husband wasn't too fond of the goat cheese flavor so I'll be trying it again soon with the original recipe! Thanks again =0)

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  53. Hannah, I'm so glad you found inspiration! Mozzarella would be great too!

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  54. In true spanakopita fashion, add some dill. :0) I am making this tonight and can't wait! I'm pairing it with the roasted cauliflower also from your site. Love ALL your recipes!! Thank you for posting so many great ones!

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  55. Hi! I really enjoy your website :) It helps to see recipes that I could make during my weight loss. I made this recipe with my mum for us, dad and my sister. It was delicious! We changed the recipe a bit and used crème fraîche instead of the ricotta and we didn't use scallions. The garlic really gave it a nice taste.

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  56. Hi Gina! I am really loving your site...it has turned me into a great cook!

    Quick question though-I'm confused about the chicken on this one. When you say chicken breast halves, do you mean to just cut the chicken breast into half, and then make 3 cutlets out of each half?

    Natalie

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  57. Sorry, a chicken has to breasts, so it just means one breast.

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  58. 2 things: First, I have never heard of 4C brand, so I wondered the very same thing about the quantity used in the recipe. Second, I have to admit, I am very leery of FF cheeses... what the heck is in it?! and, does it taste good? These are the questions that plague me when it comes to fat free cheese. Of course, the healthy value is reduced substantially if I don't use FF cheese. Thoughts?

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  59. I substituted broccoli for spinach added a slice of ham inside, dill seasoning and lemon from some suggestions above and it was delicious!!

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  60. I made these last night and they were great! I even served them to someone who doesn't like spinach and they were still a hit!

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  61. I've made this twice in a week - once for my hubby and the other time for company. Love, love it! My husband told me this is a recipe to print-out :-)

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  62. Slicing the chicken breasts is much easier if they are "soft" frozen - not icy hard, right out of the freezer, but partially thawed.

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  63. I made this tonight and it was fantastic!

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  64. Love your recipes! I was just wondering if this could be frozen to prepare later, and if so, do I need to cook it first, or can I freeze and cook later? Thank you! :)

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  65. Made this tonight for dinner with left over chicken i had in the freeze & spinach and my boyfriend was amazed on how good they were & very filling. It was very easy to follow but baking them in the oven took longer at 350 but still very yummy.. thank you for sharing this recipe

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  66. My Boyfriend and I made these the other night and they were so delicious! I am doing WW and I'm literally obsessed with this website. I just found it last week through Pinterest and I have already made your Roasted Green Beans, Italian Wedding Soup, Pasta Bolognese, Roast Beef/Arugula sandwiches, and this chicken...and we have truly loved everything! Thank You so much for a fantastic sight with amazing recipes!

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  67. This was to die for!! And who but me could go to their fridge and find the frozen spinach and ricotta and Feta cheese? Me!!! Yahoo!! Just came together perfectly, my better half (Wife)loved it,AND there was enough stuffing to make two omelettes this morning! Again, Thank You!!

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  68. Wow, this was amazing! After 25 years, all I expect from my husband is a "it was alright" when he likes something. This got about 3-4 "this is realy good!"s. I followed the recipe pretty close, but my daughter begged me to add sundred tomatoes to hers, and it really added a nice flavor. I will add them to the whole batch next time!!!

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  69. I made them last night,my husband said it was good. I accidentlly pick up the wrong feta cheese instead I pick blue cheese but it was good also I had to cook little longer because it wasn't cook long enough.

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  70. Hi Gina,

    Is there any other substitute for Ricotta cheese or can i just not use it at all? I used up all the ricotta for your Kale Lasagna recipe (which was fantastic!). I can't believe i made lasagna!

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  71. I made these tonight! They were great and my husband enjoyed them too. I used FAGE Total 0% Greek yogurt instead of ricotta (because I didn't have any in the house) and a tablespoon of pesto. Delish! Will definitely make again.

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