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Spinach Ricotta Chicken

Spinach Ricotta Chicken

The ultimate comfort food, Spinach Ricotta Chicken is creamy, cheesy, and packed with flavor. This easy weeknight dinner will satisfy your cravings and impress your family. Make it tonight for a delightful meal!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 400

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lb chicken breast pounded to even thickness, approx. 1 inch
  • 0.5 tsp cracked pepper
  • 0.5 tsp sea salt
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup fresh chopped spinach
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese shredded
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1.5 cup marinara sauce
  • 0.25 to 0.33 cup extra parmesan for topping

Equipment

  • Chef's Knife
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Frying Pan
  • Baking Sheet
  • Oven

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, spinach, one garlic clove, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper until fully combined.
  3. Spray the bottom of a 9×13 pan, or large baking dish with oil. Line the chicken breasts in the pan and evenly season with sea salt, pepper and 2 of the garlic cloves.
  4. Spread the ricotta and spinach mixture over the top of the chicken breasts evenly. Cover the chicken completely with the marinara.
  5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the thickest section of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. (For thicker chicken breasts, this could take much longer.)
  6. In the last several minutes, add shredded parmesan on top of the chicken and continue baking to melt.
  7. Allow chicken to rest about 5 minutes before serving.
  8. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Leftovers of this chicken are even better!

Notes

  • Tip 1: If there are major differences in the thickness of the chicken breasts, you can pound the thicker pieces down slightly.
  • Tip 2: Any kind of ricotta should work for this recipe. I prefer whole milk ricotta.
  • Tip 3: No spinach? No problem! While it won’t technically be “Spinach Ricotta Chicken” anymore, it will still be amazing.