Creamy Spinach and Red Pepper Chicken #SundayFunday

Welcome to #SundayFunday! Wendy from A Day In The Life on The Farm invited fellow bloggers to kick back, relax, and share something tasty and fun each weekend. "Sunday should be a Family Funday. Please join us in sharing recipes that will help you to enjoy your Sunday." If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join!

Today our #SundayFunday group is hosted by Stacy at Food Lust People Love who invited us to make something delicious with chicken! "Share your favorite family friendly chicken recipes, cooked any way you like it! Creative or traditional, we are always looking for ways to serve this ubiquitous bird. Vegetarians only: feel free to use protein substitutes."

Do you always have chicken on hand too? Get some fresh inspiration with these delicious recipes below!

• Chicken and Stuffing Bake from Palatable Pastime
• Chicken Biryani-Gujarati Style from Sneha's Recipe
• Chicken and Ramen Dump Dinner from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chicken Fajitas from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Creamy Spinach and Red Pepper Chicken from Making Miracles
• Saucy Pepperoni Roasted Chicken from Food Lust People Love
• The Best Brine for Whole Roast Chicken from Amy's Cooking Adventures

I can't say enough good things about this recipe! Oh my GOSH that filling... it's amazing. It's sublime. It's life changing. If you like the components, try this soon!! And if you haven't had a chance to put your cast iron skillet to use lately, this recipe is a fantastic chance to break it out and put it to good use!

I could not get over how delicious the vegetable mixture was. I was eating it on toast while I was waiting for the chicken to finish baking. It's just such a fabulous mixture of flavors and textures. I love the roasted red peppers in this one. Recipes like this are why my pantry is always growing - they remind me how much I love ingredients like roasted red peppers, and then I have to keep them stashed in the pantry at all times!

This recipe is perfect served with creamy mashed potatoes. It makes a great side to eat alongside that delicious saucy mixture spooned over the chicken.

Creamy Spinach and Red Pepper Chicken

Ingredients

2 TBS olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, diced

1 TBS minced garlic (jarred)

10-oz weight baby spinach

1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced into strips

1 14-oz can petite diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp salt, more to taste

1/2 tsp black pepper, more to taste

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 - 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 TBS of the olive oil and saute the onion for about 8 minutes, until caramelized and tender. Add in the garlic and cook one more minute, season lightly with salt and pepper. Add in the sliced roasted red peppers, spinach, and the diced tomatoes. Stirring gently until spinach has wilted.
2. Pour in the heavy cream and allow to simmer and thicken for a couple minutes. Stir in the grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired.
3. Turn off the heat. 
4. Cut vertical slits / pockets into each chicken breast (being sure not to go all the way through the back or bottom).
5. Carefully stuff about 1/4 cup of filling into each prepared pocket, and seal the slit with toothpicks (2-3). 
6. Leave remaining filling in the skillet.
7. Heat the last TBS of oil in a cast iron or other oven safe pan. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
8. Sear the tops of the chicken in the pan for about 2-3 minutes until browned. Carefully flip the breasts oven and sear another couple minutes, then place the skillet into the oven and bake 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees.
9. Reheat the the spinach mixture, and serve breasts with the spinach mixture spooned over the top.

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman