Chicken Caesar Florentine

We are big spinach fans in this house.  We always have fresh baby spinach on hand for adding to dishes or throwing together with other vegetables to make a salad.  Most of the time we keep it pretty healthy, with a few random veggies, such as tomatoes, cucumbers (on my salad only; Tony hates cucumbers), or avocados, topped with a light dressing.  However, every once in a while we'll enjoy a salad that's a little heartier; we'll add chopped chicken, croutons, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, topped with a low-fat Caesar salad dressing.

When I saw this recipe for Chicken Caesar Florentine, I had no doubt in my mind that Tony would enjoy this.  He's a fan of most stuffed chicken recipes, so this version seemed perfect for him.  With so few ingredients and easy preparation, I was able to whip this meal up after getting home from work, and still eat dinner at a reasonable time.

It's a bit of a messy task to stuff and coat this chicken, so just be prepared.  Despite this small issue, it's REALLY easy and so good!  This chicken was incredibly flavorful and the breading was so crispy.  Tony absolutely loved this meal and said he would eat this every night if he could.  I think that comment speaks for itself; I can confidently say that this recipe is a keeper!  Since I took these photos at night, right before we devoured the chicken, they might be a little dark and not the best but this is just too good of a recipe not to post.  Trust me; the flavor of this dish will not disappoint.  If you love Caesar salad, you will love this recipe!

Chicken Caesar Florentine
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Recipe from Taste of Home magazine - Dec 2011/Jan 2012 issue
Yield:  4 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups Caesar salad croutons, coarsely crushed, divided
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing, divided
4 bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed (8 oz each)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup cheese, 1 cup crushed croutons, spinach, and 1/2 cup salad dressing.  Cut a pocket in the thickest part of each chicken breast; fill with cheese mixture.

Place remaining dressing and crushed croutons in separate shallow bowls.  Dip chicken in dressing, then roll in croutons.

Transfer to a greased 13-inch x 9-inch baking dish.  Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.