Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Chicken can sometimes be so bland. I am always trying to find ways to make chicken more "interesting." Which this definitely is! I made it for my roommate and her boyfriend and they really enjoyed it.

To be honest, I was craving some kind of lasagna/manicotti dish but I decided to make a somewhat healthier version. So I decided to stuff chicken with ricotta cheese and spinach. 

First, I flattened out the chicken. I didn't have a meat tenderizer so I just put the chicken in between two pieces of plastic wrap and beat the chicken with a pan. 

Next, I washed some spinach and cut it up into small pieces. I just kind of eye-balled how much spinach I thought I would need and then mixed it with some ricotta cheese. 

Then I put the spinach-ricotta cheese mixture inside the chicken and rolled it up. 

After the chicken was rolled up, I dusted the chicken in a flour mixture with garlic powder and paprika before putting the chicken in an egg wash and panko bread crumbs. 

I started cooking the chicken in a pan on high heat just to get some color on the chicken and then I finished it in the oven. 

I made this dish for my roommate and her boyfriend. It was my first time making this dish as well as my first time cooking for them but this dish was a hit! The crust was crunchy and the cheese on the inside kept the chicken moist.  My only regret was not adding more spinach!!!

Recipe (depends on how many you are making for but I made 3 chicken breasts):

Filling: 

Spinach (a few handfuls)

Ricotta cheese  (about 1 cup)

Crust: 

Flour with paprika and garlic powder 

1 egg 

Panic bread crumbs  (1 1/2 cups)