When I learned that Emilie from The Clever Carrot had inked a cookbook contract, I was super excited. I just knew everything in it would be mouth-watering, healthy, easy and super delicious. When I got my copy of the book, I was not disappointed. There are so many things I love about this cookbook. Let me just name a few of them!
I like the names of the chapters in the Table of Contents. They speak to me. It's things like 'Back to Basics' which is making staples like broths.
There's a chapter titled 'Process This' which focuses on clever uses of your food processor for quick and easy prep.
Then there's a chapter of versatile marinades that do double and triple duty. You'll find that in the chapter called 'Freezer Marinades'
Another outstanding behind-the-scenes aspect of Emilie's fabulous cookbook is that she did all the photography herself. Since I did the same thing with my cookbook, I know the intensity of the responsibility needed for making this dream come true. It's not easy. Not only must you be a darn good cook, but you have to be multi-talented with things like food styling and photography. That's what Emilie is~one multi-talented dear friend who's giving you, me and the world a part of her heart.
Unintimidating, easy-to-follow and simple recipes that translate into elegant nutritious eating, The Clever Carrot has indeed proven that she is clever crafty talented home cook!
skillet stuffed chicken with spinach & ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 (10 oz.) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1/2 cup ricotta
- Coarse sal and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- Everyday Spice Blend (Page 85 of Cookbook)
- 1 Tbl. olive oil, plus more as needed
- *1/2 cup white wine (my addition~not in original recipe)
- 1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
- 1 Tbl. butter, unsalted
- Everyday Spice Blend
- 2 Tbl. coarse salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
- Mix all together and blend. Store in airtight container.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425
- Thaw spinach and use paper towels to soak up as much excess water as possible. You want your spinach nice and dry. Put in a bowl with the ricotta, salt, pepper and mix well.
- Slice chicken breasts lengthwise about three-quarters of the way through to create a pocket.
- Stuff each chicken breast with equal amounts of the spinach/ricotta filling. Sprinkle chicken with the 'Everyday Spice Blend'. Use cooking twine to wrap and hold the chicken together.
- Use a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Turn heat to medium. (I alternated between medium and medium high because I wanted a good brown searing on the chicken.) Add olive oil. Put one to two pieces in (don't crowd) and sear chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate. Repeat with all the chicken. Deglaze skillet with wine. (You can substitute chicken broth or apple juice.) Use a wooden spoon to scrape all the good stuff from the skillet.
- Snip and remove cooking string.Put chicken back in skillet. Add the tomatoes and butter.
- Cover with foil or a lid. Bake in a preheated 425 oven about 18-20 minutes. Cooking time will also vary depending upon the thickness of your chicken.
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