Cajun Chicken Stuffed with Pepper Jack Cheese & Spinach

I have been trying to find recipe's I can use ingredients I already have in the fridge. I found this gem on Pinterest and knew I had Pepper Jack Cheese and I was buying Spinach for another recipe, so here we are. After that being said, when I went looking for my Pepper Jack, I honestly looked through and took EVERYTHING out of the fridge TWICE! I couldn't find it!! Then, after finally deciding I wasn't blind, it for sure was not in the fridge, I asked Ryan. He tells me he threw it out... apparently it had mold.... I can't tell you if I was more annoyed at the fact that my cheese was moldy, he threw it out and I needed it... or if I was amazed at the fact he saw something in the fridge that needed thrown out and he DID IT! 

Back to my story... so I decided instead I would use Monterey Jack. 

I thought it turned out great, the Chicken was very moist and cooked perfectly. I added more cajun seasoning than the recipe recommended due to the fact the pepper-jack would have added some kick. I also added a little more of the cajun to the breadcrumbs. YUM!

Here is the recipe: this is definitely a re-make and next time I will use the Pepper Jack. 

I forgot to take a picture.. this is from the blog I copied it from. Cooking Creation

Ingredients:
Serves 4


Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded (you can use up to 6 oz)
• 1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (you can also use fresh cooked spinach)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning - click here for my homemade Cajun spice recipe
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs (I use Italian style)
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Lots of toothpicks 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.

In a medium bowl, combine the pepper jack cheese, spinach, salt and pepper.

Combine the Cajun seasoning and breadcrumbs together in a small bowl. 

Spoon about 1/4 c of the spinach mixture onto each chicken breast. Roll each chicken breast tightly and fasten the seams with several toothpicks.  This part requires a tiny bit of skill and I typically use about 8 toothpicks in each roll to ensure none of the filling seeps out.  Be sure to count how many total toothpicks were used!

Brush each chicken breast with the olive oil. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning mixture evenly over all. Sprinkle any remaining spinach and cheese on top of chicken (optional).

Place the chicken seam-side up onto a tin foil-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup).  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove the toothpicks before serving.  Count to make sure you have removed every last toothpick.  Serve whole or slice into medallions.

Enjoy!

Stir Fry

I am going to lay it out here, that I am a total cheater! I wanted stir-fry and was going to make a recipe I found, then after getting home from a Looooonnng day at work (extremely long after being in Hawaii for a week!) I remembered we had some Teriyaki Sauce in the pantry.... sooooo, I thought I would use this to my advantage, and it was a great meal.

I felt as though if I added the yummy veggies, it would be a "home-made" meal

Here is what I did:

1lb Flank Steak

Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips

Onion (i used purple), cut into slices

Broccoli

Bok Choy

1 C uncooked Rice

Kikkoman Garlic and Green Onion Teriyaki Sauce

I marinated the steak in about a cup of the sauce

Put a Wok on HIGH heat with about 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and some Sesame Oil

Once hot, add meat. The meat will cook quickly. 

Before it is cooked through add your bell peppers, onion and broccoli

At the end add Bok Choy and cook until wilted

I cook my rice with chicken stock, gives it a little more flavor, I then stick it in the fridge to get the moisture out and pan fry it.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Just got back from Maui!! I feel like I gained about 12 pounds while I was there. UGH 

SO, my first meal back from Hawaii was Cajun Chicken Pasta.. a full carb meal!

I got it from the Pioneer Woman. Turned out really good, I wished it were slightly more spicy, so I added some crushed red pepper on top of mine.
This is copied from Pioneer Woman's blog. I was lazy and didn't want to type it out.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Prep Time:

 10 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 15 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

6

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
• 3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
• 1 pound Fettuccine
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1/2 whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!