Spinach and Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Savory Gravy

I'm changing the name of this dish to "Chicken with Mozzarella Waterfall". Melted cheese cascades from inside those golden-brown, gravy-smothered chicken breasts. Oh, and tender baby spinach hides inside there too. On a scale of 1 to 10, this stuffed chicken (basking in the MOST amazing savory gravy), is a 110.

I know I say that most of my dishes are easy. Because they are. But this one is SERIOUSLY easy. You simply stuff mozzarella and spinach into chicken pockets and the chicken part of the dish is DONE. Then, you make the world's quickest stove-top gravy. Start to finish, dinner is on the table in about 30 minutes flat.

About the mozzarella: I used fresh mozzarella because I love the creamy, buttery quality it adds to the chicken. It also melts like a dream. You can really use ANY mozzarella variety you prefer, including shredded.

About the spinach: I chose fresh baby spinach leaves - the kind sold in prewashed bags. I literally pulled the leaves from the bag and stuffed them in the chicken. You can also use frozen spinach - just thaw it first and squeeze between paper towels to remove most of the moisture.

Want to prep-ahead? Genius idea (I had the same thought and prepped this dish one day ahead). Assemble the chicken as instructed, right up to the baking part. Cover the pan with plastic and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Pull the pan from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. I suggest making the gravy right before serving, BUT, if you want to prep ahead, you can make the gravy too and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Reheat the gravy in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If you need to thin the gravy, add a little more chicken broth.

Spinach and Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Savory Gravy

For the stuffed chicken:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and ground black pepper
1 cup baby spinach leaves
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the gravy: 
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper
Parsley leaves for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
To prepare the chicken, using a sharp knife, slice into the chicken breasts horizontally, as if cutting a bagel, without cutting all the way through the opposite side. Unfold the chicken and season the inside with salt and pepper. Arrange the spinach leaves on the bottom half of the chicken. Top the spinach with the mozzarella slices. Refold the chicken and secure the top and bottom together with wooden picks. Season the top with salt and pepper.
Brush the bottom of an ovenproof skillet or baking dish with the olive oil and arrange the chicken on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Meanwhile, to make the gravy, melt the butter in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat. When the butter is bubbly, whisk in the flour until smooth. Whisk in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes (or as long as the chicken cooks - it's OK if the gravy simmers for awhile).
Spoon the gravy over the chicken and serve garnished with parsley leaves (if using).

Serves 4