Description
A comforting and wholesome dish featuring tender chicken breasts topped with a creamy ricotta-spinach mixture and baked in a tangy tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Ricotta Spinach Mixture:
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3 large handfuls of spinach, roughly chopped
- 270g (9.5 oz) ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- Low-calorie spray
- 15g (0.5 oz) Parmesan cheese
- 50g (1.8 oz) mozzarella cheese
- For the Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 160g or 5.6 oz each)
- Salt and black pepper, to season
- Low-calorie spray
- For the Tomato Sauce:
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- A pinch of Italian mixed herbs
- 240g (1 cup) passata
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and spray it lightly with low-calorie cooking spray. Add the roughly chopped spinach along with the crushed garlic. Stir the mixture until the spinach just begins to wilt—this should take about 2 minutes. Once softened, transfer this mix to a bowl for the next steps. In the same bowl, add the ricotta cheese and a large egg, mixing well until everything is thoroughly combined. Set this delicious mixture aside for later.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover them with cling film. Gently flatten each piece using a meat mallet, which is crucial for ensuring even cooking. Season both sides of the chicken breasts generously with salt and black pepper to enhance their flavor. Reheat the skillet you used before with a quick spray of low-calorie cooking spray and sear each side of the chicken for 2-3 minutes until they develop a nice golden color. Once seared, remove them from the skillet and set aside.
- Next, in the same skillet, spray a bit more of the low-calorie cooking spray and add the finely diced onion and crushed garlic. Cook these for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they become soft and fragrant. Now, stir in the passata, tomato paste, mixed herbs, and chicken stock, bringing this robust mixture to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Preheat your oven to 160°C fan (180°C or 350°F). Once your sauce is ready and has thickened nicely, return the seared chicken breasts back into the skillet, placing them right on top of the sauce. Now, take the ricotta-spinach mixture you prepared earlier and spoon it generously onto each chicken breast. Finally, sprinkle the tops with both the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese for that irresistible melty goodness. Cover the skillet with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese is beautifully melted and golden.
Notes
Using fresh spinach enhances both flavor and nutritional benefits. Be sure to season your chicken well before cooking to intensify the overall taste of the dish. Cook the tomato sauce thoroughly to allow the flavors to deepen and the sauce to thicken adequately for best results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
Nutrition
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sodium: 760 mg
- Protein: 36 g