Baked chicken pockets: A festive recipe for lighter feasts
To wrap up the holiday season, I like to prepare something on the lighter side. Baked chicken pockets are my go-to dish. I stuff chicken breasts with various ingredients—this year, I'm choosing spinach and gorgonzola in a creamy sauce. Contrary to what you might think, this dish is quite easy to prepare and ready to serve after just 40 minutes in the oven.
For the chicken pockets, I select high-quality meat. I ensure the fillets are large and firm since everyone will want a fair portion. Of course, I make a bit more than the expected number of guests to allow for seconds. I serve the meat with mashed potatoes and leek salad.
How to prepare chicken breasts for pockets?
Some people tenderize the chicken, but I don't. I cut the breasts with a knife to form a large pocket inside and rub the meat with oil mixed with salt, pepper, and a bit of onion, which I press through a garlic press. I set it aside for about 30 minutes, during which time I prepare the filling.
What can you stuff chicken breasts with?
I have three tried-and-true filling combinations for chicken pockets. The first is spinach with gorgonzola cheese, feta, or mozzarella. I adjust the cheese depending on guests' preferences—if there are children at the dinner, I opt for mozzarella.
The second filling includes sun-dried tomatoes, such as mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and feta cheese. The third option features bacon and mushrooms. For all these, I serve a creamy sauce made with broth and cream.
Recipe for chicken pockets with spinach
You can use fresh spinach leaves or whole frozen ones for the filling. Chopped spinach won't work in this case.
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts,
- 2 tablespoons oil,
- Salt and pepper to taste,
- 2-3 onions,
- 4 cloves of garlic,
- 2 tablespoons butter,
- 450 grams of fresh spinach—usually 2 packages,
- 500 millilitres vegetable broth,
- 100 grams gorgonzola cheese,
- 2 large tablespoons of 18% cream.
Instructions:
- Slice the breasts lengthwise to make pockets. Rub the outside and inside with oil mixed with salt, pepper, and onion pressed through a garlic press. Set aside to let the meat absorb the flavours.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan. Sauté the onion cut into feathers and garlic sliced thinly.
- When the onion and garlic start to release their aroma, add the spinach leaves. Wait for them to soften and pour in the broth.
- Add the gorgonzola cheese and tempered cream, which means mixing it in a separate cup with a bit of hot broth before adding it to the sauce.
- Spoon the spinach filling into the prepared chicken pockets. Arrange them in a baking dish and put them in an oven preheated to 175 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes.
