These chicken pockets are filled with yummy gooey Laughing Cow cheese, some cooked spinach, and a little garlic. Then, they are breaded and cooked until the chicken is deliciously crispy on the outside. Clocking in at just 4 WW FreeStyle Smart Points per serving, you can enjoy these satisfying Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Pockets guilt-free! This recipe is going in the next free meal plan we will be sharing this Saturday, because the sooner we get it into your meal plan, the sooner it gets in your belly… and trust me, you are going to want this in your belly! 🙂
What are Laughing Cow cheese wedges?
Many of you probably have at least heard of Laughing Cow cheese, but for those who haven’t, I thought it might be good to talk about them real quick. There are lots of different flavors of Laughing Cow cheese wedges, and honestly, you could probably use just about any of them and have good results with this recipe. The flavor I chose to use was the Creamy Swiss Garlic & Herb kind. Here’s a picture, so you will know what to look for…
At our grocery store, this cheese is not in the traditional cheese aisle that has the shredded cheese and string cheese. Our store puts Laughing Cow cheese wedges with some of the fancier cheeses and cheese spreads, because it is a spreadable cheese.
People who do Weight Watchers love Laughing Cow cheese because 1 wedge is just 1 WW SP, making it an easy thing to grab for a snack or to add to recipes. I think that you will find that it serves its purpose well for this particular recipe.
My husband and children loved this, so I will definitely be making it again. I hope you are able to say the same after you try it!
Happy cooking!
Here is what you need:
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
4 cups spinach
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6 ounce) pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 Laughing Cow light Swiss garlic and herb cheese wedges
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper, to taste
Here is what you do:
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add spinach and cook 3-4 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted, mixing as it cooks.
Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Transfer spinach/garlic to a bowl.
Wrap chicken pieces, one at a time, in clear plastic wrap (to prevent making a mess) and pound down the chicken with a meat tenderizer until the chicken is very thin, about 1/2 of an inch. (Thinner chicken is easier to work with in this recipe since you will be folding it over, and it will take less time to cook. If you don’t have a tenderizer, you can use the back of a large sturdy spoon.)
Slice the Laughing Cow cheese wedges into small slices.
Place the cheese slices on 1/2 of each piece of chicken (about 1 wedge worth of cheese for each).
Divide the spinach between the pieces of chicken, carefully spreading out over the cheese. (I found using my hands was easier for this step, but you could scoop out about 2 tablespoons spinach on each.)
Fold the 1/2 of the chicken with nothing on it over the 1/2 with the cheese and spinach.
Dip both sides of the chicken in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs.
Transfer chicken to the same skillet that you used for the spinach. Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes on both sides, or until the chicken is slightly browned. Spray chicken with cooking spray if the breading looks dry.
Turn heat down to medium-low heat. Cover skillet and cook an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the middle of chicken is fully cooked (this step will take more or less time, depending on the thickness of the chicken).
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
Makes 4 servings.
One serving is 1 chicken pocket.
One serving is 6 Green, 3 Blue, and 3 Purple points.
Cheesy Chicken and Spinach Pockets
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups spinach
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 (6 ounce) pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 4 Laughing Cow light Swiss garlic and herb cheese wedges
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- Cooking spray
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add spinach and cook 3-4 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted, mixing as it cooks.
- Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Transfer spinach/garlic to a bowl.
- Wrap chicken pieces, one at a time, in clear plastic wrap (to prevent making a mess) and pound down the chicken with a meat tenderizer until the chicken is very thin, about 1/2 of an inch. (Thinner chicken is easier to work with in this recipe since you will be folding it over, and it will take less time to cook. If you don't have a tenderizer, you can use the back of a large sturdy spoon.)
- Slice the Laughing Cow cheese wedges into small slices.
- Place the cheese slices on 1/2 of each piece of chicken (about 1 wedge worth of cheese for each).
- Divide the spinach between the pieces of chicken, carefully spreading out over the cheese. (I found using my hands was easier for this step, but you could scoop out about 2 tablespoons spinach on each.)
- Fold the 1/2 of the chicken with nothing on it over the 1/2 with the cheese and spinach.
- Dip both sides of the chicken in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs.
- Transfer chicken to the same skillet that you used for the spinach. Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes on both sides, or until the chicken is slightly browned. Spray chicken with cooking spray if the breading looks dry.
- Turn heat down to medium-low heat. Cover skillet and cook an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the middle of chicken is fully cooked (This step will take more or less time depending on the thickness of the chicken).
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
This recipe was inspired by a recipe in the Taste of Home Comfort Food Makeovers cookbook.
Diane says
That looks great! Thank you for an addition to my chicken recipes that’s not the same boring thing! Can’t wait to try it!
Alisha Hughes says
Of course! Glad you are excited to try it. 🙂
Nikki says
Looks delicious! Excited to try it!