HASSELBACK CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

– 1 teaspoon olive oil
– 1­½ cups fresh baby spinach
– ¼ cup ricotta cheese
– 2 – 1-pound chicken breasts
– ⅛ cup white cheddar cheese, grated
– Paprika
– Salt
– Pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius or Gas Mark 6).
2. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add the oil and cook the spinach in it for 3 to 5 minutes, until it is slightly wilted.
   
   
   
   
3. Stir in the ricotta and cook for a further 30 to 60 seconds. Allow to cool.
   
4. Cut slits into the chicken breasts, about 1 centimeter (0.39 inches) apart and 75% of the way through the chicken.
   
   You don’t have to be too stressed about the depth of the cuts, so long as you don’t cut all the way through it!
   
5. Stuff all of the spinach and ricotta mixture into the cuts.
   
6. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the white cheddar cheese generously on top. Generously sprinkle the paprika, adding color and flavor.
   
   
   
   
7. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the juices are clear.
   
   Serve and enjoy!