Feta-Stuffed Chicken

Feta is a full-flavored cheese that can be used in small amounts. Here it's mixed with a little  cream cheese and used as a stuffing for chicken.

SERVINGS: 4 servings
CARB GRAMS PER SERVING: 2


1/4     cup crumbled basil-and-tomato feta cheese (1 ounce)*
2     tablespoons cream cheese (1 ounce)
4     skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 pounds total)
1/4     to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Dash salt
1     teaspoon olive oil or cooking oil
1/4     cup chicken broth
1. In a small bowl combine feta cheese and cream cheese; set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut a horizontal slit through the thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff pockets with the cheese mixture. If necessary, secure openings with wooden toothpicks. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt.

2. In a large nonstick skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat about 12 minutes or until tender and no longer pink, turning once (reduce heat to medium if chicken browns too quickly). Remove chicken from skillet. Cover and keep warm.

3. Carefully add chicken broth to skillet. Bring to boiling; add half of the spinach. Cover and cook about 3 minutes or just until spinach is wilted. Remove spinach from skillet, reserving liquid in pan. Repeat with remaining spinach. Return all spinach to skillet. Stir in the nuts and lemon juice.

*Note: If basil-and-tomato feta cheese is not available, stir 1 teaspoon finely snipped fresh basil and 1 teaspoon snipped oil-pack dried tomatoes, drained, into 1/4 cup plain feta cheese.