Chicken Stuffed with Spinach, Feta and Pine Nuts

I have made a feta stuffed chicken before, but this recipe from Cooking Light caught my eye. Why didn't I think to add spinach and pine nuts with the feta? Either way, I am glad I found this recipe. The spinach is a great addition. We both enjoyed it! We paired with a couscous salad with diced cucumbers, tomatoes and feta cheese.

5 ounces fresh spinach
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled fat free feta cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach to pan; cook until spinach wilts, tossing constantly. Place spinach in a colander; press until barely moist. Wipe pan clean.
Combine spinach, cheese, nuts, juice and garlic. Cut a horizontal slit through the thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff 3 tablespoons filling into each pocket. Seal with toothpicks. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until brown. Add broth to pan (if ovenproof) or to ovenproof dish with chicken.
Cover and place in oven.
Bake for 15 minutes or until done.

Feta Stuffed Chicken

Feta Stuffed Chicken
3/4 cup feta cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper


In a small bowl, combine feta and oregano. Make a pocket in the chicken: holding chicken flat with palm of one hand, make an incision in the thicker side of each breast with a paring knife. Carefully pivot the knife to create a deep pocket, keeping the other side of the chicken breast intact. Stuff pockets with feta mixture. Season chicken with salt and pepper. 
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook until browned on both sides, 6-7 minutes per side. 
Cover skillet and continue cooking until chicken is opaque and cooked through. 


Couscous Salad
1 box couscous (parmesan is my favorite)
1 seedless cucumber, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Handful feta cheese


Prepare couscous to package directions. Mix with remaining ingredients. 


Chad's rating: 9/10
Amy's rating: 9/10
Recipe for  Feta Stuffed Chicken from my new favorite ipod App - Martha's Everyday Food. 

Roasted Chicken Couscous

1 rotisserie chicken (white meat); shredded

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 package Parmesan Couscous

1/3 cup feta cheese; crumbled

1 cup tomatoes; diced

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a few minutes. Then add shredded chicken. Lower heat to low.

Prepare couscous according to box directions.

Add chicken, feta cheese and tomatoes to prepared couscous.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 9/10

Recipe adapted from neareast.com.

Couscous Stuffed Peppers

Couscous Stuffed Peppers

Red Bell Peppers (however many you want)

1 box Parmesan couscous

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 package pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup parsley, chopped

1 container cherry tomatoes, diced

Slice the top off the peppers and clean out the seeds and veins. Simmer the peppers in a pot of boiling water for 7 -1o minutes until tender (not mushy.) Meanwhile, prepare the couscous according to the package directions. Toss the prepared couscous with chickpeas, pine nuts, feta cheese, parsley and tomatoes. Fill cooked peppers with mixture.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 10/10