Pan fried chicken stuffed with spinach and Gruyère

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

8oz (225g) fresh spinach leaves

½ cup shredded Gruyère cheese

pinch of grated fresh nutmeg

4 large skinless boneless chicken breast halves or thighs (preferably free-range), about 9oz (250g) each

1 tbsp olive oil

8–12 cherry tomatoes

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1 First, prepare the spinach. Put in a saucepan with a little water (the water clinging to the freshly-rinsed leaves may be enough), and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until just wilted. Alternatively, put in a microwave-safe bowl, cover loosely and wilt in the microwave on medium for 2 minutes. Drain and squeeze out the excess water. Mix the spinach with the Gruyère and nutmeg, and season well with salt and pepper.

2 Slice each of the chicken pieces lengthwise to form a pocket be careful not to cut all the way through. Stuff each one with some of the mixture, then fold over to seal.

3 Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Carefully add the chicken breasts, pocket-side down, and leave to cook undisturbed for 5–7 minutes. Carefully turn over, and cook the other side for about the same time until golden and cooked all the way through.

4 Meanwhile, add the tomatoes to the pan toward the end of the cooking time. Leave them to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes until they begin to split. Remove the chicken from the pan when it is cooked, and set aside to keep warm. Stir the tomatoes around for a couple of minutes to break them up a little, then serve with the warm chicken.

Pan fried chicken stuffed with spinach and Gruyère