Soufflé Stuffed Chicken

Here is a delicious recipe found in The South Beach Diet Cookbook.  I would serve this for company.  I have made this recipe twice now, and I think it is a keeper.  I have actually wanted to make this recipe more than twice, but I can't always find the Stouffer's frozen spinach at the grocery store.  The last time I found it, I bought two packages and just kept one in the back of the freezer. Plus, they make a delicious side dish in and of itself.  A tiny word of warning:  both times I made this recipe I thought I was going to fail miserably.  It is not easy wrapping the chicken around the spinach.  I don't want to scare anyone because at the same time it is not that difficult.  It is worth the extra effort.  You need to "sew" the chicken together with several toothpicks. Both times I've been worried that the chicken will bust open and spinach would ooze out everywhere.  The messiest ugliest looking stuffed pieces end up looking the prettiest because just enough of the spinach seeps out.  The only thing I do differently is skip the dijon mustard in the pan reduction sauce.  My husband can always tell when I try to sneak mustard in a recipe.

Souffle Stuffed Chicken

1 package (12 ounces) Stouffer's frozen spinach souffle, not thawed

4 boneless, skinless chicken pounded to 1/4" thickness

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt

Ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish

Slices of lemon, for garnish

Sprig of parsley, for garnish

1) Preheat the oven to 350.  Pound chicken breasts to 1/4" thickness.

2) Using a serrated knife, cut the spinach souffle crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Top half of each whole breast with one of the pieces of souffle.  Fold half of the chicken over the filling and fasten the edges with wooden picks. (NOTE: use as many as it takes)

3) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until golden.  Discard the garlic.  Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 7 minutes per side, or until well-browned on both sides.  (NOTE: mine look like bricks so I have at least 3 to 4 sides to brown:-)

4) Remove the chicken breasts to an oven-proof dish.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 170 and the juices run clear.

5) While the chicken is baking, add the broth, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper to the large skillet.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced about 1/2.

6) To serve, remove and discard the wooden picks.  Arrange the chicken on a warm serving platter, and spoon the sauce over the chicken.  Garnish with the chopped parsley, lemon and parsley sprig.