Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Thighs

By
Katie Workman
Katie Workman
Award-winning food writer, blogger, and author of two cookbooks. She frequently appears on broadcast media sharing her expertise.
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Updated on 01/28/21
Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken

Rachel Ray

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This stuffed chicken thigh recipe uses frozen spinach in a delicious way, resulting in a simple, yet impressive, weeknight dinner.

If you need to, you can thaw frozen spinach by leaving it in the fridge overnight; another way to thaw frozen spinach is to put it in a strainer and run it under warm water. Use your fingers to break apart chunks of frozen spinach. Turn off the water, grab a handful of spinach, and squeeze until you get out as much water as possible. Repeat with the rest of the spinach.

Serve with steamed rice or cauliflower mashed potatoes, and some of your favorite veggies.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1/2 cup chopped onion

  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach

  • Kosher or coarse salt (to taste)

  • Freshly ground pepper (to taste)

  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta

  • 8 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on, about 2 1/2 pounds)

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet or line it with foil and spray with nonstick spray.

  3. Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat until melted. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes until tender, then add the spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the spinach is cooked and most of the moisture is evaporated—about 4 minutes.

  4. Add the red pepper flakes, if desired, and the cream. Cook for another 3 minutes until the cream has blended into the spinach. Stir in the feta and cool so that it's just slightly warm or room temperature. Check for seasoning.

  5. Loosen the skin from each thigh and place a couple of tablespoons of the spinach mixture under the skin, spreading it out beneath the skin. Brush the skin with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. 

  6. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (an internal temperature of 165 F.).  Serve hot or warm.

Tips

  • Bake the chicken thighs skin-side up to get a nice crisp on the skin.
  • These stuffed chicken thighs will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Make sure thighs are at room temperature before placing them in the fridge. Just reheat and serve.
  • Don't have heavy cream? Substitute 3/4 cup milk and 1/3 cup butter using this heavy cream substitute recipe.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1973 Calories
131g Fat
4g Carbs
205g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 1973
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 131g 168%
Saturated Fat 41g 205%
Cholesterol 1131mg 377%
Sodium 1767mg 77%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 205g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 147mg 11%
Iron 9mg 51%
Potassium 2266mg 48%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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