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Light Herb Stuffed Grilled Chicken with Spinach and Tomatoes

July 7th, 2007 · 1 Comment

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Stuffed chicken is actually very simple to make given it’s impressive appearance; once you try it, you are going to wonder why you have waited so long. The only tricky part to this recipe is making the pocket in the chicken breast, but once you get the technique down, it becomes quite easy. The grilled cherry tomatoes add a hint of sweetness to this dish that pairs phenomenally with the stuffed chicken. If you can not find cherry tomatoes, try substituting the smaller grape tomatoes instead – just reduce the grilling time on them so they don’t burn. This recipe is great for convincing the kids (or non-vegetable friendly adults!) in your house to try a dish loaded with greens and herbs.


2 cups flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

zest of 2 lemons

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 (4 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 1/2 pounds baby spinach

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt (divided)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Non-stick cooking spray

Combine parsley, thyme, garlic, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl and set aside. Slice each chicken breast lengthwise almost in half – but be careful not to cut it all the way through (you want to create a “pocket” for the herbs.) Divide the herbs between the 4 chicken breasts and stuff them into the “pocket”. Use a toothpick or two to hold the open side together.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Spray each chicken breast with cooking spray and sprinkle them with pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place the chicken breasts on the grill pan and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken.

While the chicken cooks, add the cherry tomatoes to the grill pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes total, turning frequently.

Also, heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat and add half of the spinach (Place the other half of the spinach aside in a large serving bowl.) Once wilted, toss the cooked spinach in with the reserved spinach, add the red wine vinegar, and toss well. Then add the grilled tomatoes and toss again. Divide spinach and tomato mixture between four plates and top each with a chicken breast to serve.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 310 calories, total fat: 6 g, saturated fat: less than 1 g, trans fat: 0 g, carbs: 11 g, fiber: 6 g, added sugar: 0 g, protein: 52 g, sodium: 268 mg, cholesterol 2 mg, calcium 228 mg.

Tags: Chicken · Dinner · Vegetables

1 response so far ↓

  • 1 Shannah // Jul 23, 2007 at 1:46 pm

    Delicious! And it plates really well. I’m adding this to my favorite recipe rotation.

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