One of my (sad) guilty pleasures is dining at Olive Garden. Yes... I know. Friends have gasped at this fact, considering all the other amazing, independent and unique restaurants accessible in this great city of Chicago. The truth is, I enjoy Olive Garden because it inspires me. When I'm tired of the usual Italian recipes I have in rotation, Olive Garden is that refreshing outlet of new ideas. Such is the case for our dinner tonight. I had all the ingredients on hand and found this recipe on their website.


Stuffing:
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 Tbsp pine nuts, slightly toasted
1 cup frozen spinach, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
4 boneless chicken breasts, with skin
Salt to taste
Black ground pepper to taste


Pre-heat oven to 400ºF.

Combine all the stuffing ingredients together in a bowl; set aside.


Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. With a mallet or the palm of your hand, slightly flatten out breasts.

Shape a handful of stuffing into a ball and place in center of each chicken breast.

Wrap the chicken breast around the stuffing, starting with one side. Roll the breast, tucking the opposite side underneath. Season top of chicken breast with salt and pepper.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked and juices run clear. Serve immediately.