Hasselback Chicken with Spinach Boursin Cheese Stuffing

Hasselback Chicken with Spinach Boursin Cheese Stuffing is a restaurant quality dish that is quick and easy to make and can be made ahead of time. Leftovers if any are just as yummy the next day.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

What is Hasselback?

Hasselback is a cooking technique in which food items are sliced vertically into even layers, making sure that the cuts do not go all the way through. The layers can then be stuffed with whatever is desired, producing enhanced flavors and flair to the main food item.

The technique, used on potatoes was first introduced in the 1950's in a restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden, named Hasselbacken.

Although Hasselback is most often associated with potatoes, the technique can be equally applied to meats and poultry.

Why You Should Make this Delicious Recipe 

• Quick and Easy: This dish is both quick and easy to put together - make the stuffing, stuff the slits in the chicken and bake for less than 30 minutes.
• Make Ahead: Once the chicken has been stuffed, you can cover it with foil and stick it in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake.
• Impressive Presentation and Delicious to Eat: As the picture indicates the finished recipe is impressive to look at. It's also amazingly delicious.
• Versatile: While I stuff the Hasselback Chicken with a mixture of spinach and Boursin cheese, you could also use a spinach artichoke dip for the stuffing.
• Delicious Leftovers: Leftovers, if any are delicious - just reheat in the microwave.

What I Use to Make This Recipe

Only eight ingredients are required for this amazing dish.

• The Main Ingredient: Skinless, boneless chicken breasts that have been trimmed of all fat are the primary ingredient for this dish.
• The Stuffing: Spinach cooked in olive oil and Boursin cheese combine to produce an amazing stuffing .
• The Seasonings: The seasonings are minimal. Salt and pepper are added to the chicken to enhance its flavor. Paprika is added at the end for both color and additional taste.
• Bringing Up the Rear: Gruyère cheese rounds out the flavor and texture.

Making the Stuffing

The stuffing for this recipe takes minutes to make but provides a depth of flavor.

1. First, I sautéed the spinach in a bit of olive oil over medium heat until it wilted. This took 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Then, I added the Boursin cheese. I stirred the mixture for another minute or so until the cheese was melted.

That's it for the stuffing! I removed the stuffing from the heat and allowed it to cool.

Preparing the Chicken

A characteristic component of Hasselback recipes is a series of vertical cuts in the food. The Hasselback Chicken was no exception.

I made vertical cuts in the chicken breasts about ¾ of an inch apart. I made sure that I didn't cut all the way through.

That's it for the preparation of the chicken!

Here's How I Put This Together

With the two main components made, it was time to make the Hasselback Chicken with Spinach Boursin Stuffing.

1. I started by stuffing about a teaspoon of the spinach mixture in each of the vertical cuts of the chicken.

2. I transferred the stuffed chicken to a rimmed baking sheet that I had lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Then, I sprinkled salt and pepper on both pieces.

This part of the recipe can be made ahead of time up to this point.

3. I covered the chicken with aluminum foil and baked it in a preheated 400°F oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, I removed the aluminum foil and sprinkled the shredded Gruyère on each of the pieces.

I returned the chicken, uncovered, to the oven for another 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

4. Once the cheese was melted, I sprinkled each of the pieces of chicken with some paprika. The paprika added not only a nice color contrast to the spinach, but also a delicate flavor.

That's it! The Hasselback Chicken stuffed with a Spinach Boursin mixture was amazing.

I served it with Stuffed Tomatoes Provençal (stay tuned for this recipe!), steamed broccoli and a chilled Chardonnay.

All through dinner, the Master Taste Tester kept commenting on how good everything was - the ultimate compliment. Yum!

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Hasselback Recipes

If your a fan of the Hasselback technique, check out these recipes:

• Cheesy Bacon Hasselback Potatoes
• Loaded Hasselback Potato Bites

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