Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken
Stuffed chicken is an easy weeknight dinner. The spinach adds powerful nutrients, balancing the creamy feta.
Stuffed chicken is an easy weeknight dinner. The spinach adds powerful nutrients, balancing the creamy feta.
- Carbohydrate 1.55675073380264 g
- Cholesterol 11.125 mg
- Fat 9.58232771642986 g
- Fiber 0.635796772575969 g
- Protein 2.53429080587584 g
- Saturated Fat 7.76079807692718 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (98g)
- Sodium 156.523889437264 mg
- Sugar 0.920953961226669 g
- Trans Fat 0.630102716418149 g
- Calories 98 calories
Step-by-step
- Pound chicken breasts to 1/4-inch thickness. In medium bowl, mix frozen spinach and feta and add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Evenly divide mixture and spoon onto chicken breasts.
- Close chicken breasts and secure with toothpicks or butcher’s string. Sprinkle remaining seasonings onto chicken. Press the Sauté button and add coconut oil to Instant Pot. Sear each chicken breast until golden brown (this may take two batches). Press the Cancel button.
- Remove chicken and set aside briefly. Pour water into Instant Pot and scrape bottom to remove any chicken or seasoning that is stuck on. Place steam rack into pot.
- Place chicken on steam rack and click lid closed. Press 'Pressure Cook' and adjust time for 15 minutes. When timer beeps, allow a 15-minute natural release, then quick-release the remaining pressure. Serve warm with favorite white sauce if desired.
Can this fill a smaller multi-cooker without crowding the base? When adapting recipes for specialized diets, substituting full-fat coconut oil with a neutral avocado oil maintains the high smoke point needed for searing while altering the lipid profile. Feta cheese contributes distinct sodium chloride and umami peptides that contrast cleanly against the mild, neutral amino acids of lean poultry protein.
Managing the Sear
Searing requires precise heat management to prevent the coconut oil from smoking prematurely. Pat the exterior of the butterflied breasts completely dry with paper towels before application, because surface moisture prevents proper browning via the Maillard reaction. Work in two separate batches if necessary to maintain adequate spacing in a six-quart electric pressure cooker insert, ensuring each piece achieves a uniform golden-brown crust rather than steaming in its own juices.Pressure Cooking Mechanics
Securing the folded meat with butcher's twine yields more even results than toothpicks by maintaining uniform thickness across the stuffed cavity. Adding water and thoroughly deglazing the inner pot prevents the burn notice triggered by caramelized fond stuck to the bottom heating element. Allow the full fifteen-minute natural pressure release cycle to finish before opening the valve, as sudden decompression forces moisture out of the muscle fibers and toughens the texture.
