Chicken Florentine
Try this delicious Chicken Florentine recipe, a flavorful dish with a creamy cottage cheese and spinach sauce.
Try this delicious Chicken Florentine recipe, a flavorful dish with a creamy cottage cheese and spinach sauce.
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 box (approx. 5oz.) frozen spinach thawed & squeezed to remove as much liquid as possible
- 2 large garlic cloves minced (or 1 tsp. from my jar-o-garlic)
- 1 can no-salt low fat added chicken broth
- pinch nutmeg
- 1 cup low fat ricotta
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 8 oz. whole grain pasta (i used brown rice spirals)
- Carbohydrate 3.85129840643991 g
- Cholesterol 46.2917068808925 mg
- Fat 2.33479572501329 g
- Fiber 0.117199515641192 g
- Protein 18.6214578908533 g
- Saturated Fat 0.825328323406393 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (85g)
- Sodium 91.8638183808687 mg
- Sugar 3.73409889079872 g
- Trans Fat 0.321216800674182 g
- Calories 115 calories
Step-by-step
- Cube 'n cook chicken...
- Cook pasta according to package directions
- Mix cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and spinach together until smooth
- In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add flour and whisk for 30 seconds.
- Add chicken broth and stir until thickened (about 3 minutes).
- Add lemon juice, garlic, nutmeg, oregano & pepper.
- Bring to simmer.
- Remove from heat and add blended cottage cheese, spinach, chicken, Parmesan cheese & pasta.
- Stir to combine. (Or, if you are like me and choose a pot that is too small to fit everything, skip this step and mix it all together in your baking dish, oops.)
- Place in lightly sprayed casserole dish.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Traditional Florentine preparations rely heavily on heavy cream to bind sauces. This version swaps rich dairy for ricotta and parmesan, lightening the final casserole while maintaining a thick consistency. Success depends entirely on moisture control. Thawed frozen spinach acts like a sponge. Squeeze the greens inside a clean kitchen towel until completely dry before blending them into the cheese. Excess water thins the sauce during baking at 375 degrees F and breaks the emulsion.
Building the sauce base requires proper starch activation. Cook the flour and olive oil together for exactly 30 seconds while whisking constantly. This eliminates the raw flour taste without browning the fats. Pouring the chicken broth in gradually prevents lumps from forming. Whisk continuously for three minutes until the liquid thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Assembled casseroles hold well in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours before baking. Freezing unbaked portions works effectively if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to one month. Thaw frozen dishes completely in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
The Rux of the Roux
Building the sauce base requires proper starch activation. Cook the flour and olive oil together for exactly 30 seconds while whisking constantly. This eliminates the raw flour taste without browning the fats. Pouring the chicken broth in gradually prevents lumps from forming. Whisk continuously for three minutes until the liquid thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Storage and Freezing
Assembled casseroles hold well in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours before baking. Freezing unbaked portions works effectively if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to one month. Thaw frozen dishes completely in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
