Curried Spinach-Filled Chicken Breasts
Submitted by tedsr
Pounded chicken breasts rolled around a spiced spinach filling with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne, then baked and sliced into pinwheels. Served over rice with lime juice and fresh cilantro.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
50 minREADY
70 minThese stuffed chicken rolls look like they came off a catering platter, but they’re really just pounded chicken breast wrapped around a quick spinach filling and baked.
The filling is where the flavor lives. Spinach, onion, and garlic get cooked down with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne until fragrant and concentrated. Each breast gets brushed with a lime-turmeric butter, spread with the filling, rolled tight, and baked seam-side down.
Slice them crosswise and you get gorgeous green-and-white pinwheels fanned out over a bed of rice, finished with fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.
Chef Tips
- Pound the chicken evenly between plastic wrap to about a quarter inch thick. Uneven thickness means some parts overcook while others stay underdone.
- Squeeze every last bit of moisture out of the thawed spinach. Wet spinach makes a soggy filling that won’t stay put inside the roll.
- Place the rolls seam-side down in the baking dish. No toothpicks or twine needed if the seam is on the bottom.
- Let the rolls rest for five minutes before slicing. Cutting too soon lets the juices run out and the filling can shift.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Lightly grease 8 x 8 inch or 12 x 8 inch baking dish .
Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add spinach and remaining filling ingredients; cook and stir 5 minutes.
Remove from heat; set aside.
Place one chicken breast half, boned side up, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap.
Working from center, lightly pound chicken with rolling pin or flat side of mallet until about ¼ inch thick; remove wrap.
Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
In small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon lime juice, butter and ¼ teaspoon turmeric; mix well.
Brush smooth side of each chicken piece with lime juice mixture; turn each piece over and spread unseasoned side evenly with 3 tablespoons filling.
Starting with short side of chicken breast, roll up tightly.
Place, seam side down, in greased dish.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
Cool 5 minutes.
Cut crosswise into ½ inch slices.
Place cooked rice on serving platter and arrange chicken slices, slightly overlapping on rice.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons lime juice and chopped cilantro over chicken and rice.
Garnish with fresh cilantro, lemon and lime slices.
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