So, Sean and Christine came to visit this weekend, and we made Chicken stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta Cheese in a Saffron Cream Sauce. Basically, it was decadent and delicious. Recipe as follows:
Ingredients:
- 1 Pinch Salt and Pepper
- 1 Pinch Saffron
- 2 Tbsp Clarified Butter
- 1 LB Spinach, stemmed
- 4 Oz Ricotta Cheese
- 2 Egg Whites, lightly beaten
- 4 Chicken Breasts, 9 oz. each
- 2 Cups White Wine
- 1 Cup (8 oz) Chicken Veloute
- 2 Cups (16 oz) Heavy Cream, hot
Instructions:
- Blanch, refresh and drain the spinach. Squeeze it tightly to remove as much moisture as possible, then chop it finely.
- To make the stuffing, combine the ricotta, egg whites and spinach in a mixing bowl; season to taste.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board, skin side down. Using a boning knife, carefully make a pocket that runs the length of each breast.
- Put the stuffing in a pastry bag and pipe the stuffing into each pocket. Do NOT overfill the chicken breasts because the stuffing expands as it cooks.
- Saute the chicken in the clarified butter until well browned. Transfer the chicken to a sheet pan and finish in a 350 degree oven, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
- Deglaze the saute pan with the white wine.
- Add the saffron, bring to a boil and reduce by half.
- Add the veloute and the cream. Adjust the seasonings and consistency; strain.
I served it with a side of black beans and brown rice cooked in chicken stock. Delish. Even Cullen ate it and enjoyed it and this is a dish that is way out of his comfort zone.
I actually just tried to eat this picture just now…It’s not the same.