Bacon Wrapped Ricotta & Spinach Stuffed Chicken

Serves 8

Ingredients:

6 complete boneless skinless breasts, cut in half and pounded out thin
1 15 oz. container full fat ricotta cheese
½ C grated parmigiana reggiano cheese + more for sprinkling on top
1 large egg
½ C chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
1 10 oz package frozen spinach
2 large cloves garlic, chopped finely
¼ C white onion chopped finely
¼ C good olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
12 thin slices of bacon

Method:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread a bit of olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold the 12 stuffed breasts easily. Empty the spinach into boiling water and reduce heat to simmering, breaking up the spinach just until thawed and hot. Drain, push spinach through sieve to remove all water, then wrap in paper towel and squeeze hard to remove all the rest of the water. Add the spinach to a bowl and add the ricotta, grated cheese, egg, garlic, onion, half the parsley and about 1 t kosher salt and ½ t black pepper. Combine well. Set aside.
• Lay out each pounded piece of chicken. Place two heaping tablespoons of the mixture in the center and wrap over each edge of the chicken until closed and it becomes round. Rub with a bit of the oil. Then tightly wrap each with a slice of the bacon, overlapping so that the fat from the bacon seals the circle tightly. Place seam side down in dish. Sprinkle with a little more grated cheese, some parsley, and a bit of black pepper. When all breasts have been stuffed and wrapped and place in baking dish, bake in oven for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is 140 degrees. Can use the broiler for the last few minutes to brown and crisp the bacon. Remove from oven and serve immediately.