We are still sheltered in place (SIP) here, with a possibility of relaxing the SIP rules after May 3rd if all goes well with flattening the curve of new infections. Like everybody else, I'm here just trying to stay SANE!!!
And coming up with creative ways to use bits and pieces of leftover ingredients is a fun distraction from all this craziness. (Honestly, I always found the funnest part of past week long club ski trips were the last night when all the condos pooled in their left over ingredients to make dinner. It's amazing what creative and ingenious dishes people come up with!)
This week's finds: I had half a package of frozen chopped spinach, which was clearly not enough to make the 2 Sisters Recipes Spinach and Kale Bites, which I just absolutely ADORE, and make routinely with my frozen packages of chopped spinach. Not today though...
However, I did have half an onion, and a couple of slices of ham and cheese. So I thought I could make a stuffing that would taste similar to the 2 Sisters Recipes' Spinach and Kale Bites, but elevated with a bit of ham.
Tucking this stuffing inside chicken thighs, and simmering it with half a jar of leftover marinara sauce came out really tasty. And it's actually fairly easy to make, but looks like you slaved over the stove all day!
Give this recipe a try and serve this stuffed chicken alongside buttered pasta and a side salad for an elegant and impressive Zoom (or in person if allowed in your region) dinner date.
Making the Stuffing
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| Gather ingredients |
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| Saute Spinach and onions |
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| Mix with ham and panko |
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| When stuffing is cooled, add egg as binder and mix |
Making the Stuffed Chicken
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| Flatten chicken |
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| Add cheese and stuffing. Roll and secure with toothpick |
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| Place in hot pan |
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| Sear all 3 sides |
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| Simmer in marinara until cooked through |
Yields 5 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 ¼ t salt, divided
- ½ t garlic powder
- ¼ t ground black pepper
- 1 c frozen chopped spinach
- half a medium yellow onion finely diced (about 1 c)
- 1 t olive oil
- ½ c finely diced ham
- 1/3 c panko
- 1 egg
- 2 c of your favorite marinara sauce
- 6 slices cheese (provolone, swiss, mozzarella or muenster)
- ½ c water
- 6 toothpicks
Procedures:
1. Sprinkle 1 t salt and ½ t garlic powder over the chicken thighs and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or overnight
2. In a nonstick pan, saute the onions and frozen chopped spinach with olive oil until the onions are translucent and soft. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the diced ham, remaining ¼ t salt, black pepper, and panko. When the stuffing has cooled down, add in the egg. Mix until combined, and divide the mixture into 6 equal portions.
3. For each chicken thigh, pound the thigh to about 1/2 inch thickness.
4. Place a slice of cheese on the thigh, and then spoon the spinach stuffing on top of the cheese slice. Close the chicken around the spinach and cheese, and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining 5 thighs.
5. Gently place the spinach stuffed thighs in a hot nonstick pan and sear each of the sides on medium heat until browned (about 3 minutes on each side, 3 sides total). Be gentle when you turn the chicken to sear. You don't want the stuffing to come out, or the toothpick to come undone.
6. When all the sides are browned, add in the marinara sauce along with some water. (Note: The marinara sauce should just be a thin layer on the bottom of the pan and not cover the thigh pieces, as you don’t want the stuffing to come out into the sauce.) Cover the pan with a lid and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
7. Transfer the pieces to a serving platter and pour sauce over the chicken pieces. Serve hot. (Remind guests to remove toothpick when eating)