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They (whoever "They" are) say that you should write about what you know. Well, what I know is food. I am certainly no "foodie", but that does not mean I am ignorant or that you won't occasionally find some "trendy" recipe on my blog. What I do know I learned from my Dad, Mom, and various other family members, as well as my own trial and error. I come from a family that cooks. When we get together our days tend to revolve around what meals we have planned. and the preparation necessary for those meals. I also have twin aunts who have been involved in catering in one facet or another for many years. Cooking is what we do!


With that being said, not all the recipes you find here are family recipes. If I do have a recipe from another source, I will cite that source. If I find a recipe that I like, but alter to my tastes/what I happen to have in my kitchen at the time, I will post both the original recipe and my updated recipe.


I do have all sorts of tips and tricks listed, so please feel free to browse through! If you do have any questions, I will do my best to answer. I may have to consult with my pantheon of other chefs, but I will get some sort of feedback to you!


I hope you enjoy as I share the good, the bad, the successes and the ghastly messes. Happy reading and happy cooking!


~Erin~

Cajun Chicken Stuffed with Cheese & Spinach

5:57 PM


Cajun+Chicken+Stuffed+with+Pepper+Jack+Cheese+&+Spinach.jpg
Now, I am re-naming this slightly because of how I make it. The original recipe specifies Pepper Jack, but my three year old won't touch Pepper Jack with a ten foot pole. So I have actually made this with Colby Jack  or Cheddar, and it still tastes divine! The spinach is in the middle and it is fantastic. My boy eats it, no problem. And as any other parents of young children know, getting them to eat any form of vegetable is a miracle in and of itself! 

So, here is the original recipe with a link for creating your own cajun spice if you don't have one already!

**If you have little ones eating this or your spice tolerance is fairly low, halve the Cajun seasoning and double the breadcrumbs.  Also, try substituting some of your favorite vegetables in place of the spinach.  Some of my favorites include broccoli (parboiled before stuffing in the chicken) and crunchy chopped celery.  

Ingredients:
Serves 4


Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes


  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded (you can use up to 6 oz)
  • 1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (you can also use fresh cooked spinach)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning - click here for my homemade Cajun spice recipe
  • 1 tbsp breadcrumbs (I use Italian style)
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Lots of toothpicks 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper. 

In a medium bowl, combine the pepper jack cheese, spinach, salt and pepper.

Combine the Cajun seasoning and breadcrumbs together in a small bowl. 

Spoon about 1/4 c of the spinach mixture onto each chicken 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.  Make sure you get underneath, too.  Sprinkle any remaining spinach and cheese on top of chicken (optional).

Place the chicken seam-side up onto a tin foil-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup).  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 medallions.


Just as a side note, I use fresh spinach. I usually saute it with a little bit of butter, garlic powder, and onion powder. I have also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. They are easier to use as they pretty much have a space created from where the bone was to stuff the spinach mixture. This recipe is a definite win as it is super flexible to fit the tastes of your household. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!

Erin


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The Chow Diaries

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Cajun Chicken Stuffed with Cheese & Spinach

Posted by Erin at 5:57 PM 0 comments

Cajun+Chicken+Stuffed+with+Pepper+Jack+Cheese+&+Spinach.jpg
Now, I am re-naming this slightly because of how I make it. The original recipe specifies Pepper Jack, but my three year old won't touch Pepper Jack with a ten foot pole. So I have actually made this with Colby Jack  or Cheddar, and it still tastes divine! The spinach is in the middle and it is fantastic. My boy eats it, no problem. And as any other parents of young children know, getting them to eat any form of vegetable is a miracle in and of itself! 

So, here is the original recipe with a link for creating your own cajun spice if you don't have one already!

**If you have little ones eating this or your spice tolerance is fairly low, halve the Cajun seasoning and double the breadcrumbs.  Also, try substituting some of your favorite vegetables in place of the spinach.  Some of my favorites include broccoli (parboiled before stuffing in the chicken) and crunchy chopped celery.  

Ingredients:
Serves 4


Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes


  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded (you can use up to 6 oz)
  • 1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (you can also use fresh cooked spinach)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning - click here for my homemade Cajun spice recipe
  • 1 tbsp breadcrumbs (I use Italian style)
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Lots of toothpicks 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper. 

In a medium bowl, combine the pepper jack cheese, spinach, salt and pepper.

Combine the Cajun seasoning and breadcrumbs together in a small bowl. 

Spoon about 1/4 c of the spinach mixture onto each chicken 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.  Make sure you get underneath, too.  Sprinkle any remaining spinach and cheese on top of chicken (optional).

Place the chicken seam-side up onto a tin foil-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup).  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 medallions.


Just as a side note, I use fresh spinach. I usually saute it with a little bit of butter, garlic powder, and onion powder. I have also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. They are easier to use as they pretty much have a space created from where the bone was to stuff the spinach mixture. This recipe is a definite win as it is super flexible to fit the tastes of your household. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!

Erin
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