Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This is a wonderful dish that everyone in the family can enjoy. Ella got to customize her "roll", omitting the cheese and spinach. It is most delicious when served with tomato sauce, but can also be eaten without. The original recipe can be found here. You know me, I cannot simply make a recipe without first altering it!

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
5 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
4 slices thinly sliced proscuiutto
1 cup white wine
1 batch of homemade marinara sauce of your choice or 1 jar of store bought
1 bag of rice pasta

Trim fat any from chicken; discard. Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or in a zip lock bag. Pound with meat mallet until chicken is about 1/4 inch thick.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat spinach dry with paper towels. Combine spinach, Parmesan, lemon peel and black pepper in large bowl. Spray small nonstick skillet with cooking spray; add mushrooms. Cook and stir over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes or until tender.

Arrange 1 slice of prosciutto over each chicken breast. Spread each with one-fourth of spinach mixture. Top each with mushrooms. Beginning with longer side, roll chicken tightly. Tie with kitchen string or hold together with toothpicks.

Place stuffed chicken breasts, seam side down, in 9-inch square baking pan. Lightly spray chicken with cooking spray. Pour white wine over top. Cover and Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Turn broiler to high and lightly crispen the tops of the chicken, approx. 3 minutes.

While chicken cooks, prepare pasta and drain, being sure to rinse with cold water. Heat the pasta sauce as the noodles cook. Leave sauce on low, warming it until everything is ready.

Remove chicken and remove string or toothpicks. Serve alongside pasta. Drizzle the sauce over the pasta and chicken. Garnish with parmesan.

* Serve with Arugula Salad (see recipe above). For Ella, who hates all things saucy, I sliced up her chicken to form pinwheels. She loved eating them this way.