Well, it seems that winter is upon us.

I’m so dang excited about it. There is nothing I love more than the first snow of the year. Except for the second or third snow of the year. I love waking up to frost on the ground and air so cold that you can see your breath.

I know that this is an unpopular opinion among a lot of my fellow southerners. But let’s be honest, we really have it easy here. Our winters are insanely mild compared to some. We *might* get two or three inches of snow at a time in Chattanooga, if we’re lucky. I just got home from a long weekend in Cincinnati, where some days the high was only 25 degrees. The cold was biting and constant and bitter and I loved every second of it. I know I’m weird, but what can I say? I am a hot-natured winter baby. I was in heaven.

I also ate terribly while I was there. Now don’t get me wrong, the food that the hubs and I had was DELICIOUS, but it wasn’t exactly uhh, waistline friendly to say the least. As an early birthday celebration, he took me to the cutest mom and pop Italian restaurant called Pitrelli’s. There we had homemade bread with garlic butter, shrimp, scallop and lobster ravioli (his) and Asiago gnocchi with prosciutto and peas (mine). Holy crap, y’all. It was amazing. Not to mention the pizza, burgers, and BBQ that we indulged in on the other days I was there.

Needless to say, I was ready for some healthy food when I got home. I opened my refrigerator and saw a whole lot of nothing, so I had to make due with what I did have available. It just so happens that my bare fridge resulted in one of my favorite recipes to date: spinach and feta stuffed chicken breast.

And yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds.

Fun fact- I thought I hated feta cheese until about 2 years ago. What a sad existence I had prior to the day when I realized how amazing it truly is.

This chicken is everything you want it to be. It’s juicy and cheesy and garlicky and healthy all at once. A squeeze of lemon after cooking just sends it over the edge. It would be perfect with some brown rice or couscous. I personally decided to simply serve it with roasted broccoli, and if you’d had the food I’ve eaten the last few days, you’d do the same.

I hope you enjoy this delicious, simple dish!

Bon appétit!

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breast

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 5-oz. container of fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

1/4 red onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Paprika

Salt and pepper, to taste

Lemon wedges, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Add the olive oil to a medium-sized skillet and heat on medium high heat.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the red onion to the pan. Cook about 3-5 minutes or until the onion begins to become translucent. Stir frequently to avoid browning and reduce heat if needed.
4. Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the chopped spinach to the pan and cook until it has wilted, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
6. Stir the feta cheese into the spinach mixture.
7. Cut a deep pocket in the chicken breasts, but be careful not to cut all the way through them.
8. Stuff the chicken breast with the spinach and feta mixture. Put a spoonful in at a time and pack it as you go to make sure it all fits.
9. Place the stuffed chicken breast in a greased glass baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.
10. Bake for 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165° and the juices run clear. Squeeze lemon wedges over the chicken, if desired.
11. Serve and enjoy!