Cream cheese ain't just for your bagel! This recipe was concocted by my wonderful wife using a base recipe from Ina Garten and then adding her own mushroom sauce. It was a great weeknight meal! I asked her to share it with my amazing followers.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
4 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
¼ cup mozzarella cheese
¼ cup parmesan cheese
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Spicy garlic seasoning
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl combine room temperature cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, spinach and garlic until fully combined. I used very clean hands to smush it all together! Butterfly chicken breasts, making sure to leave the edge intact so that the top half will fold over the bottom. Coat each side of chicken with spicy garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stuff each breast with 1 oz. cream cheese mixture and fold over the flap. Sear each side of the chicken breasts in olive oil over medium high heat, being careful to not lose the stuffing when you flip them. Once a crust has formed, remove chicken to a casserole dish and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the internal temperature reads 150 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to rest under a tent of foil.
Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
8 oz. white mushrooms
¼ cup chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
2 oz. cream cheese mixture (see above)
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Use the chicken broth to deglaze the pan you used to sear the chicken. Add mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring gently. Stir in cream cheese mixture. Stir in heavy cream to desired thickness. You may not use it all. Bring the sauce to a rolling boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Add more heavy cream if it gets too thick. Season to taste.
