Protein-Packed Cottage Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsps. avocado oil, ghee, tallow, unrefined organic coconut oil, or extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 shallots, diced
- 2 heaping cups fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 2 tsps garlic powder
- 1 cup cottage cheese, excess liquid drained
- 1/4 cup egg whites
- sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 lbs. chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 2 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (chopped)
- 2 cups ripe cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
optional:
- freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees f.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of your oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
- Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the spinach and cook until just wilted. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- In a bowl, combine the garlic powder, cottage cheese, egg whites, and wilted spinach plus shallots mixture. Stir well. Season with sea salt and pepper as desired.
- Cut a pocket in each chicken breast by slicing horizontally (as shown), being careful not to cut all the way through.
- Stuff each pocket with your spinach and cottage cheese mixture. Secure with toothpicks if needed.
- Using the same skillet, heat the remaining Tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the stuffed chicken to your hot skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, just until seared. Carefully flip and cook for 2 minutes more on the other side until nicely golden brown.
- Arrange your bell peppers and tomatoes around the chicken in the skillet.
- Place the oven-safe skillet into your preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees in the thickest part using a meat thermometer.
- Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley if desired.
- Enjoy while hot.
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