Chicken Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta Cheese in Saffron Sauce
Serves 4
1 Cup Spinach, cooked, squeezed dry
4 oz. ricotta cheese
2 Egg whites
Salt and pepper to taste
4 chicken breasts, 8 oz. each
Olive oil, as needed
2 Tbs. butter
4 oz. white wine
2 Tbs. shallots
2 Pinches saffron
1 ½ cups heavy cream
Mix the spinach with the ricotta cheese, egg whites and salt and pepper. Place the stuffing in a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip. Place the chicken breasts, skin-side down, on a cutting board and using a boning knife make a pocket in each breast. Fill each pocket with spinach stuffing. Sauté the breasts in olive oil until well browned on all sides. Transfer the breasts to a baking sheet pan and bake in a 350 degree oven until done, about 20 minutes. Add butter to the pan and sauté the shallots for one minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce until almost dry. Add the heavy cream and saffron and reduce until the desired consistency is reached; season with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and slice. Spoon the sauce onto 4 warm plates and arrange the chicken slices on top of the sauce. Serve at once.
