Hasselback Chicken

One of my all time favorite meats to work with is chicken because it adapts to whatever flavors you introduce to it.  This chicken recipe is one of my favorites and is one of the easiest and most beautiful dishes to serve.  Whip it up and serve it to guests and they'll be impressed! This recipe serves 2 but I usually double or triple it depending on who's coming to dinner!

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach

1/4 cup ricotta cheese (I have been known to replace this with cream cheese or cottage cheese on occasion)

2 1 pound chicken breasts (de-boned)

1/8 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (this also can be replaced with cheddar or any other of your favorites as long as they compliment the ricotta or whatever you replace that with) 

Smoked Paprika (I prefer smoked, some people prefer just paprika)

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a saute' pan over medium heat, add the oil and cook the spinach for about 3-5 minutes or until it's slightly wilted.
3. Stir in the ricotta cheese and cook for another 30 - 60 seconds until well blended with the spinach.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Cut slits into the chicken breasts, about 1/2 inch apart and about 3/4 of the way through the chicken making sure not to cut all the way through so you still have a foundation at the bottom.  (In the picture above they cut straight across I cut mine more diagonal mainly because it's more pleasing to the eye, it's up to you how you want to do it.)
5. Stuff all the spinach and ricotta mixture into the cuts making sure to use all of it.
6. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper to taste.  (I salt the bottom of the breast before I cut it) Sprinkle the grated cheese generously on top and then a good liberal sprinkle of the smoked paprika over the grated cheese for color and flavor.
7. Bake in the center of the oven until the cheese has melted and the juices are clear depending on the size of the breasts that could be anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes.  

I usually serve mine with a side salad and maybe asparagus, nothing too heavy.  It's almost a complete meal in itself.  Enjoy!