SUN-DRIED TOMATO, SPINACH, AND BACON CHICKEN

PREP TIME: 20 MINS | COOK TIME: 40 MINS | TOTAL TIME: 1 HR | SERVINGS: 4

Tender and moist chicken breasts smothered in a scrumptious creamed spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and bacon. This mouthwatering chicken dinner proves that chicken breast is not boring!

INGREDIENTS :

Baked Chicken Breasts:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 0.5 ounces Italian Dressing mix packet (half the packet)
• 1.5-pound chicken (4 small chicken breasts or 2 large chicken breasts, sliced horizontally in half)

Creamed spinach:

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ⅔ c. half and half
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅔ c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 6 ounces baby spinach fresh

Other ingredients:

• 4 slices Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey cheese with jalapenos
• 4 slices of bacon cooked
• ¼ c. sun-dried tomatoes, drained of oil, chopped into smaller bites

DIRECTIONS :

Step 1: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 375 degrees F.

Step 2: Grease the bottom of the baking dish. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with the Italian salad dressing mix. To the prepared baking dish, lay the chicken breasts, flat-side down. Then, place in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Creamed spinach:

Step 3: Meanwhile, drizzle 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the spinach and cook for just 1 to 2 minutes or until it begins to wilt. Take the pan off the heat, then add the garlic and half-and-half. Return to the heat and bring everything to a boil. Next, add the shredded mozzarella and cook over high heat while stirring for about 30 seconds or until the cheese begins to melt. Decrease the heat to a simmer. Keep stirring for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until you have a nice and smooth creamed spinach. If the mixture ends up watery, bring it to a boil again to cook off the extra liquid while stirring. To taste, season with salt. When done, take the skillet off the heat.

Smothered Chicken Breasts:

Step 4: Once the chicken breasts are done baking, take them out of the oven and quickly top each with the creamed spinach, sun-dried tomatoes followed by chopped cooked bacon, and broken slices of pepper jack cheese. Return to the oven and resume baking for another 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

Nutrition Facts:

Amount per Serving: Calories 766, Fat 58g 89%, Saturated Fat 25g 156%, Cholesterol 204mg 68%, Sodium 1068mg 46%, Potassium 939mg 27%, Carbohydrates 10g 3%, Fiber 1g 4%, Sugar 3g 3%, Protein 49g 98%, Vitamin A 4860IU 97%, Vitamin C 18.6mg 23%, Calcium 419mg 42%, Iron 3.7mg 21%