Spinach Mushroom Chicken Pockets

Ingredients for Spinach mushroom chicken pockets

1½–2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large portobello or flat mushroom, coarsely chopped
4 spring onions, sliced
5 cups baby English spinach leaves, about 250 g, coarsely chopped
1½ tablespoons dry low-GI breadcrumbs
1½ tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless chicken breast fillets or thigh fillets, each about 175 g
½ cup reduced-salt chicken stock, hot pasta, such as spaghettini or spaghetti, and fresh salad greens with an olive oil and vinegar dressing, to serve.

Preparation method for Spinach mushroom chicken pockets

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, deep frying pan, cook mushroom and spring onions over a medium heat for 5 minutes until mushroom is tender. Stir in spinach and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until wilted.

Transfer to a large bowl, using a slotted spoon to drain off any excess moisture from the spinach. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and pepper and toss well.

Flatten chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap. Spread 2 tablespoons of spinach filling onto each piece of chicken, to about 1 cm from the edges. Start at a narrow end, roll up and secure each pocket with cocktail sticks or kitchen string.

Clean frying pan, add remaining oil and set the pan over a high heat. Add the pockets, seam side down first, and cook for 6 minutes, or until browned all over.

Place the pockets in a shallow ovenproof dish and pour in the hot stock. Cover and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

To serve, remove cocktail sticks or string from pockets and cut chicken diagonally into 1-cm slices. Serve hot, drizzled with cooking juices on pasta with salad greens.

Tips:Cooking the pockets seam side down first seals them closed and prevents the filling from falling out.