Chicken Spinach Fontina Braid Recipes

CREAMY BAKED PENNE WITH CHICKEN, SPINACH, AND FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of the tomatoes, the heavy cream and 3/4 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the penne in the salted boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to a large bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, spinach, rotisserie chicken, half of the fontina and pecorino and all of the basil to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining fontina and pecorino. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH FONTINA CHEESE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• For sauce: combine wine, cream, lemon juice, vinegar, chopped shallot and pepper in medium saucepan.
• Boil until reduced to ¼ cup, about 8 minutes (can be prepared 1 day ahead).
• For chicken: Pound each chicken breast between sheets of wax paper to 7 x 4 inch rectangle.
• Place smooth side down on work surface.
• Rub ½ tsp olive oil and ½ tsp minced garlic over each chicken breast.
• Sprinkle each with 1/3 cup of Fontina cheese.
• Top each with 3 spinach leaves, overlapping if necessary.
• Starting at short end, tightly roll up chicken, jelly-roll style.
• Tie with string in several places (can be prepared 8 hours ahead).
• Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
• Heat remaining 2 tblsps oil in heavy, large ovenproof skillet.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Brown well on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer skillet to oven and bake until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer to plate and cool 5 minutes.
• Bring sauce to simmer.
• Add butter, one piece at a time, whisking just until butter melts and sauce is smooth.
• Spoon sauce onto plates.
• Cut string off chicken.
• Cut chicken crosswise into ½ inch thick slices and fan out on plates, overlapping.
• Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.