Chicken Stuffed with Sausage and Spinach

Cooking with chicken is always a pleasure, because it is so versatile.  Everything goes with chicken.  You can poach it, broil it, roast it, grill it, stuff it, make it in to a salad, and on and on and on.  The possibilities are endless.  Maybe that’s why chicken is one of the most universal foods.  There is nothing you can’t do with chicken.

We had some Andouille sausage down.  I had already used some of it for my sausage and shrimp skewers, Spicy Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Skewers and I am hoping to use more of it for some jambalaya later this week, but Larry was hungry for more sausage again.  So I used some of it to stuff my chicken.  I package of 6 links cooked in 3 totally different ways.  I LOVE it!

Chicken Stuffed with Sausage and Spinach

2 lbs chicken breasts

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil

1 lb ground sausage – any kind is fine

1 shallot, minced fine

1 TBSP garlic

3 cups fresh spinach, stems removed

1 TBSP roasted chilies, minced fine

2-3 oz, jalapeno jack or jack cheese

 

Slice the chicken in the middle to make a pocket.  This will be easier to do when the chicken is still raw rather than when it is par cooked.  Coat both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper and olive oil.  In a hot skillet, add some more oil with a little butter and brown the chicken for about 4-6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.  You are only par cooking the chicken since you will be baking it to fully cook once it is stuffed.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.  In the same pan, cook the sausage, shallot, garlic and peppers for about five or so minutes.  If you have link sausage, just remove the inside from the casing or cut into very small chunks.  Then add the spinach and continue to cook until everything is completely cooked.

Preheat the oven to 350* F or 180* C.

Carefully fill the chicken with the sausage and spinach mixture and place the chicken breasts in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

I poured the rest of my oil and toppings over my chicken before baking it too.  This is optional, but it will help coat the chicken and keep it moist, and will also crisp it up a bit too.  Bake uncovered for about 40-45 minutes.  Baste with the juices occasionally.

Add the cheese on top of the chicken and continue to cook for about 15 additional minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted.

Anyone who knows me knows I am a “saucy” kind of girl, probably in more ways than one too.  But for cooking purposes, I love adding sauces to my dishes.  Sauces help make the meal.  One of my go to sauces is a simple red pepper coulis (any color is fine).  It is super simple, easy to make and full of flavor.

Red Pepper Coulis

2 red bell peppers (yellow and/or orange is fine too), roasted, skinned and seeded

1 TBSP garlic

salt & pepper to taste

1/3 cup olive oil

 

Once the peppers are roasted, remove the skins and the seeds.  Place everything in a food processor and process until you have a creamy liquid sauce.  That’s it.  Easy-peasy.

Once everything was prepared, I served my chicken over wild rice and topped it with the red pepper coulis, with some corn on the cob and warmed ciabiatta and an olive oil dipping sauce on the side.  My wine choice was a cool, crisp white blend that was perfect with the meal.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone.  ‘Til next time.