This dish is Perfect for those following a low carb or paleo diet, pair this with a salad and your have a great fantastic healthy meal!
You’ll Need:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 oz pepper jack cheese, slices or shredded (you can use up to 6 oz)
1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (or 1 pkg fresh spinach sauteed until wilted in 1 tbs oil)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbs Cajun Seasoning Mix (We use Homemade Emerils Essence)
Lots of toothpicks (soaked in water for 5 minutes before using)
Preheat oven to 350F
Flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. To make this mess free, place the thawed chicken breast in a zipclose bag, remove the air as much as possible, place a handtowel over the package and pound lightly to flatten. Periodically remove the cloth to check on the progress.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat, once hot add 1 tbs of olive oil, heat until the oil is very hot. Add the fresh spinach, saute lightly until slightly wilted. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Add a dash of cajun seasoning and half of the cheese (shredded or otherwise!).
Combine Cajun seasoning and breadcrumbs together in a small bowl, set aside.
If your chicken has “holes” in it from being pounded unevenly or cut unevenly you can place a layer of fresh spinach leaves, a layer of pepperjack cheese, then spoon 1/2 of the spinach mixture onto each breast. Roll each chicken breast tightly and fasten the seams with several toothpicks.
This part requires a tiny bit of skill and I typically use about 8 toothpicks in each roll to ensure none of the filling seeps out. Be sure to count how many total toothpicks were used!
Brush each chicken breast with the olive oil. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning mixture evenly over all. Sprinkle any remaining spinach and cheese on top of chicken (optional). Place the chicken seam-side up into a loaf pan that is lined with tin foil-lined (for easy cleanup). This also helps keep the insides from oozing out.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the toothpicks before serving. Count to make sure you have removed every last toothpick.
Serve whole or slice into thick slices. This dish goes well with just about anything, steamed rice, veggies, salad, etc.
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