Cristina Cooks Spinach and Ricotta-Stuffed Chicken with Hasselback Potatoes

Serves 6
Ingredients:
• 6 long roasting potatoes, scrubbed and dried
• 2 metal skewers • Olive oil, for liberal drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons • Salt and pepper • 3 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped • 3 tablespoons butter • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs • ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, (finely chopped) • ¾ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese divided • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts • Salt and pepper • 1 box frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces), defrosted and wrung dry • 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese • 1 egg yolk, beaten • 3-4 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted and cooled • A few grates of nutmeg
Recipe:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Skewer three potatoes on each rod, poking them toward the bottom side rather than through the middle. Cut very thin slices about ⅛-inch thick down to rod down the whole potato. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil to lightly coat and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes to get the potatoes to open a bit along the slices.
3. Combine the rosemary salt and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture in between the potato slices. Roast 45 minutes till tender. Remove from the oven and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.
4. Melt the butter in a small skillet and add the panko. Toast until light and evenly golden; remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature and toss with parsley and half the cheese.
5. Working from the rounded thicker side of the chicken breasts, cut into the breasts to butterfly them, opening them like a book. Gently pound each piece to a quarter-inch thick. And season the inside of the meat with salt and pepper.
6. Combine the defrosted spinach, separating it with your fingertips, with the ricotta, egg yolk, walnuts, salt, pepper, nutmeg and remaining cheese. Fill each breast with a few tablespoons of cheese each and close them. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
7. Heat a large skillet with 2 tablespoons oil, over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side. When you remove the potatoes from the oven, reduce the heat to 350°F; add chicken and roast 15 minutes to finish cooking through.
8. Slice the stuffed chicken on a bias and fan piece out on warm dinner plates. Serve with Hasselback potatoes alongside topped with parsley and cheese breadcrumbs.

Baby Roma Tomatoes with Garlic and Capers Sauce
Ingredients:
• 5 tbsps olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced • 2 cups baby red roma tomatoes • 2 cups baby yellow roma tomatoes • 2 tsps kosher salt • ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes • 2 tbsps capers • ¼ cup loosely packed Italian parsley, finely chopped
Recipe:

1. Heat a frying pan until hot. Add olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until the garlic turns slightly golden.
2. Quickly add the tomatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the salt and red pepper flakes, mix, and remove from stove.
4. Add the capers and parsley. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

For more of Cristina’s recipes, go to cristinaferrarecooks.com.