Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 200 g fresh spinach, washed
  • 200 g mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)
  • 2 (400 g) cans chopped tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Method

  • Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and saute half of the chopped onion until soft.
  • Add the spinach and continue cooking over a medium heat, adding a touch of water if needed, until the spinach is wilted.
  • Take off the heat and let cool for a moment, before stirring in just over half of the mozzarella cheese.
  • Cool until you can comfortably handle the mixture.
  • Meanwhile, cut a slit lengthways along each chicken breast but be careful not to cut them in half.
  • You want to end up with a little pouch in each one.
  • When the spinach mixture is cool, stuff each breast with as much of the mixture as you can.
  • You may not use it all.
  • Cover the chicken with some cling film and set in the fridge while you make the sauce.
  • Heat some more olive oil in a saucepan and saute the remaining onion and jalapeno pepper until soft.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes, water, stock cube and oregano.
  • Simmer for about 10 minutes until the flavours blend and the mixture starts to thicken.
  • Stir in the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper and let simmer a few minutes more until you have a fairly thick sauce.
  • Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 degrees F.
  • Put enough sauce in a casserole dish to cover the bottom.
  • Lay in the chicken breasts and then cover with the remaining sauce.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes, then pull out of the oven briefly to scatter the remaining mozarella cheese on top.
  • Turn on the grill and cook just until the cheese is bubbling and browned.