Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken

If you’ve got a bag of spinach languishing in your refrigerator, spinach and feta stuffed chicken is the recipe you need to help use it up! It starts by sauteeing the spinach until soft and tender, and then rolling the cooked greens with tangy feta into a flattened chicken thigh. Seared and then roasted, the finished chicken is juicy, tender and loaded with greens and cheese. Portioned to serve two, you can easily scale it up if you’re serving a larger group, or if you have even more leafy greens to use up!

Ingredients for Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken

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• Fresh spinach: Sauteed spinach with a dash of sugar and a splash of apple cider vinegar to balance out any bitterness, fills each roulade of chicken.
• Chicken: A pair of boneless, skinless thighs is the starring ingredient for this recipe. Using larger thighs, even if you need to flatten them using a meat mallet, makes it easier to add the filling and close each roulade.
• Chicken seasoning: A poultry seasoning blend adds a savory layer of herbs and garlic to the chicken. This recipe was tested with McCormick’s Montreal Chicken Seasoning but whatever you keep in the cupboard will do! All out? Here’s how to make poultry seasoning.
• Crumbled feta cheese: Crumbled feta cheese provides a salty and tangy contrast to the spinach and a creamy texture to the stuffing.
• Chicken broth: Adding broth deglazes the pan after browning the chicken, forming the base for a savory pan sauce. Use reduced-sodium store-bought broth or homemade chicken broth.
• Butter: A spoonful of butter enriches the pan sauce, adding a silky texture and depth of flavor.

Directions 

Step 1: Saute the spinach

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Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large skillet, cook and stir spinach over medium-high heat until wilted. Stir in vinegar, sugar and pepper; cool slightly.

Step 2: Prep and stuff the chicken

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Pound chicken thighs with a meat mallet to flatten slightly; sprinkle with chicken seasoning. Top chicken with spinach mixture and cheese. Roll up chicken from a long side; tie securely with kitchen string.

Step 3: Brown, then bake the chicken

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In an ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add chicken and brown on all sides. Transfer to oven; roast until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads between 165° and 170°, 13 to 15 minutes.

Step 4: Make the pan sauce

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Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. On stovetop, add broth and butter to skillet; bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Cook until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with chicken.

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Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Variations

• Use a different leafy green: Swiss chard, kale braised collard greens, escarole or even cabbage would all be tasty additions to this dish. Measure them by weight using a kitchen scale, if possible, and strip out any firm ribs to make sure the leaves soften enough during the saute step.
• Change out the cheese: Feta adds a pleasant sour tanginess to this stuffed chicken dish, but you could instead use another kind of tender, milky cheese. Fresh chevre would be wonderful, as would fresh mozzarella or a garlic and herb-infused Gournay cheese such as Boursin.
• Add another layer of flavor: Season the spinach and feta filling by folding in another element such as chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives or minced anchovies.

How to Store Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken

Once cooled, store spinach and feta stuffed chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Can you freeze spinach and feta stuffed chicken?

Yes, you can freeze spinach and feta stuffed chicken. Cool the chicken completely and freeze in freezer-safe containers. To use, partially thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight.

How do you reheat spinach and feta stuffed chicken?

Heat them through slowly with pan sauce in a covered skillet, turning them with tongs occasionally, until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°.

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Tips

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Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

You can absolutely use boneless, skinless chicken breast halves to make chicken stuffed with feta cheese and spinach. Plan to pound them out to an even thickness using a meat mallet first

What can you use instead of kitchen string?

If you don’t have kitchen twine (or can’t find the ball of it) secure the chicken around the filling using toothpicks. Safety tip: count them as you add them to make sure you remove them all before serving!

What to serve with Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken?

Protein and green vegetables are covered in this recipe as-is, but it would be excellent paired with something starchy to pick up any extra sauce. Roasted vegetables or baked potato wedges are an excellent match, but you could also make rice pilaf, mashed potatoes or bread.