We all know Mr. KD is the king of stuffed chicken breasts around here. His chicken is bomb. I’ll give it to him.
Even so, I made a vow to get back in the kitchen and share recipes with you. Rather than scouring recipe books, I’ve been trying to create meals through inspiration from a single ingredient.
Tonight’s inspiration: sun dried tomatoes.
I love ‘em. A lot.
I thought long and hard about the best way to incorporate these babies in my life and decided that stuffed chicken breasts seemed an obvious and delicious way. While no recipe can compare to the delicious simplicity of Mr. KD’s recipe, I was still willing to give it a try.
After all, we’re a chicken household. Mr. KD could eat chicken all day, every day. When I told him of my plans to create an alternative to his famous recipe, he suggested using ricotta cheese.
From there, it was on like Donkey Kong.
I’m sorry. I actually despise people that use that term. It just slipped because these were that delicious.
Let’s get to it.
First things first, pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees and assemble your ingredients.
Closer looks: Oops. You can leave the bananas behind for this one
Take 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pound thin between two sheets of parchment paper.
Spray a pan with cooking spray and sauté two handfuls (~ 2 cups) of spinach with minced garlic until withered.

In a small bowl, combine spinach, ½ cup ricotta cheese and a ¼ cup of sundried tomatoes packed in oil (drained, rinsed and chopped).
[Note: I used fat free ricotta because the sundried tomatoes and seasonings in the next step added a ton of flavor. Generally, I think fat free ricotta is a waste of time, as it lacks taste. But, it works here. Trust me.]
Now it’s time for the fun part. Add any seasoning of your choice. Please don’t ask me for measurements.
Baking is for precision. Cooking is for doing what you feel. That’s the beauty of it. Tonight, I felt the need for garlic powder, minced onion, a dash of Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. I promise you don’t have to measure. Just keep tasting until you think you’ve got it.
Mmm…check out that pepper.
Now, place approximately 2 Tbsp of the mixture into the middle of each chicken breast and fold up the sides. Secure with a toothpick.

Place egg in a small dish alongside another dish containing ¼ cup panko crumbs and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. You know what’s coming. Dip in egg and immediately into crumb mixture.
Place chicken in a casserole dish and bake for approximately 35 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
If desired, place under the broiler for a minute to crisp the panko crumbs and cheese.
Now, here comes the really special part. We’re going to make gravy while the chicken is cooking. Yes, I know there are no drippings. This is a healthy living blog. Real gravy is best when served on a special occasion. For August 30th, this stovetop version will do. Trust me.
Place your pan back on the stove on medium high heat. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter (or ICBINBL). You can do it!
Whisk in 2 Tbsp flour and whisk for approximately 2 minutes.
Gradually add in 1 cup chicken broth. Keep on whisking, keep on whisking.
Now, add any seasoning of your choice. To keep with the theme, I added minced onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Bring mixture to a boil and continue whisking. Once the mixture has come to a boil, reduce to a simmer until mixture thickens.
When chicken is cooked, pour gravy over each breast and serve.
P.S. Don’t forget to remove the toothpick. I just saved your life, didn’t I?
There are many people out there (Mr. KD included) that think a balanced dinner involves protein and veggies.
I don’t understand those people. I would rather be dead than live a life where dinners are devoid of a carb. And a smidge of panko crumbs doesn’t cut it. For me, the pairing of a protein, grain/carb and veggie is what makes for the most satisfying of dinners. And since I’m the chef, I have the say. So there.
I served this chicken on a bed of quinoa, which sucked up the remainder of the gravy juices.
Oh.em.gee. Heaven on a plate.
Cauliflower, broccoli and carrots add a nutritional punch and some color.
Yeah, I know it’s still summer. Have I mentioned I’m ready for Fall and a slew of home cooked, comfort food?
This was a good start. A really, really good start.
Katie, you CAN do it!
Tell me – Do you need a carb at dinner to feel satisfied?