Spinach & Chicken Bake

Here you go girls - the recipe that you requested!

Layered Chicken & Spinach Bake

4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 bag fresh spinach
6-8 chicken breasts, pounded to a uniform thickness
flour for dredging
salt and pepper
1 finely diced shallot
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup Chardonnay
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 can of low sodium chicken broth
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 pound thinly sliced Fontina, Gorgonzola or Mozzarella - I usually have to use Mozzarella, as the other two, while delicious are hardly ever in the stores in Pincher Creek
Hot cooked egg noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and over medium heat saute the spinach until just wilted. Remove from pan and spread in the bottom of a large baking dish.

Dredge chicken pieces (that you have pounded the heck out of) with the flour and season with salt and pepper. Using the same frying pan (because I hate doing dishes) heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil and saute the chicken until lightly browned and cooked through. You may have to work in batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan. Put the chicken on top of the spinach in the baking dish.

Add the shallot and the mushrooms to the saute pan (you may have to add just a touch of oil oil) and cook them until the shallot is translucent. De glaze the pan by adding the white wine and the balsamic vinegar, scrape up all of the tasty brown bits into the wine sauce.

Add chicken broth and bouillon cube, stir. If sauce is too thin, thicken it with a little cornstarch slurry. (If you don't know what this is, make a runny paste of cornstarch and water and add it GRADUALLY to the pan until you achieve the desired consistency) You want it to not be thick, and not water like. Somewhere in the middle. How's that for directions?

Bring sauce to a boil and remove from heat. Place cheese slices on top of chicken breasts. Pour sauce over the whole thing. Cover with tinfoil.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, until cheese is slightly melted and sauce is bubbly.

Serve over hot egg noodles. Yummmmm!!!!!!

Good luck Shawn!