Lowfat chicken dish exemplifies Crocker cookbook's easy style
Associated Press
The gratifying flavors baked into this stuffed chicken dish belie its modest fat content of only about 10 grams per serving. Smoked cheese and spinach give it savory accents, texture and color. You may wish to add side dishes — noodles and carrots, perhaps.The recipe is from Betty Crocker's "Entertaining Basics" (Hungry Minds, $24.95). The cookbook is subtitled "Learning to Entertain with Confidence," and its makeup is user-friendly.
The spiral-bound book lies flat on the counter, each page opening up fully. After an introductory section with guidelines for hosts, about 100 recipes are set out clearly, illustrated with how-to color photos and shots of the finished dishes, embellished with plenty of extra tips. All very calming.
Smoked Gouda & Spinach Stuffed Chicken
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (2 1/2 to 3 pounds total)
- Cooking spray
- Smoked Gouda & Spinach Stuffing (recipe follows)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons margarine or butter, melted
- 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda or Swiss cheese (2 ounces)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
If the chicken is frozen, place it in the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it, or for at least 12 hours until thawed.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-inch-square pan with cooking spray.
Make the Smoked Gouda & Spinach Stuffing: Squeeze moisture out of spinach until very dry. Mix thoroughly with cheese and nutmeg.
Rinse the chicken under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Loosen the skin from the chicken breasts by inserting fingers between the skin and flesh. Gently separate in center, leaving the skin attached at ends.
Spread one-fourth of the stuffing evenly between meat and skin of each chicken breast, using your fingers. Smooth skin over breasts, tucking under loose areas. Place chicken, skin side up, in the sprayed pan. Sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over chicken. Drizzle with the margarine or butter.
Bake uncovered 45 to 55 minutes or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when you cut into the center of the thickest pieces.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 225 cal., 10 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 90 mg chol., 550 mg sodium, 3 g carbo., 1 g dietary fiber, 32 g pro.
