Creamy Spinach Stuffed Chicken with Warm Orzo Salad and Lemon-Dijon Sauce

This elegant yet approachable dish brings together tender chicken cutlets stuffed with a rich, creamy spinach filling, perfectly seared and roasted until golden. The warm orzo salad, studded with roasted sweet potato and tangy feta, makes a hearty side that complements the chicken beautifully.

A silky lemon-Dijon pan sauce drizzled over the top adds a bright, tangy finish that ties everything together. Perfect for a special dinner or a comforting weeknight meal, this recipe is sure to impress.

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Ingredients

0.5 cup Feta CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Orzo PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.5 ounce SpinachView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Sweet PotatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Italian SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken CutletsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Dijon MustardView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle position. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Dice sweet potato into ½-inch pieces. Zest and quarter the lemon. Toss sweet potato on one side of a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on middle rack for 15 minutes.
2. While sweet potato roasts, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over high heat. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in cream cheese, half the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until well combined.
3. Pat chicken dry. Holding knife parallel to cutting board, cut a horizontal slit into each cutlet, leaving 1 inch intact on the opposite side. Open like a book; divide filling between cutlets, then fold closed. Season outside with remaining Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. (Alternatively, place cutlets between plastic wrap and pound to ¼ inch thick, then fill and roll.)
4. Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Cook stuffed chicken until golden, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan. After sweet potato has roasted 15 minutes, remove sheet from oven. Transfer chicken to opposite side of sheet. Return to oven; roast until chicken is cooked through and sweet potato is tender, 10-12 minutes.
5. Once water is boiling, add orzo. Cook until al dente, 7-10 minutes. Drain. Transfer roasted sweet potato and drained orzo to a large bowl. Toss with lemon zest, feta, 1 tablespoon olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
6. Heat the same pan over medium heat. Add stock concentrate, mustard, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; whisk in 1 tablespoon butter until melted.
7. Divide orzo salad and stuffed chicken between plates. Top chicken with pan sauce and serve with remaining lemon wedges.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different pasta instead of orzo?

Yes, you can substitute orzo with other small pasta like ditalini or stelline, but cooking times may vary.

How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked?

The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) or the juices run clear when pierced.

Can I prepare the filling ahead of time?

Absolutely! The creamy spinach filling can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.