Cheese-Stuffed Chicken in Phyllo

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 8  skinned and boned chicken breast halves
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  pepper
• 4  cups  chopped fresh spinach
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 2  tablespoons  olive or vegetable oil
• 1/2  (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened and cut up
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1  egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 1  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 16  frozen phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
• Melted butter or margarine
• Mixed salad greens

Preparation

Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/8-inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Sauté spinach and onion in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cream cheese until blended. Stir in mozzarella cheese and next 6 ingredients.

Spoon 1/4 cup spinach mixture on center of each chicken breast half, and roll up, jellyroll fashion.

Unfold phyllo sheets on a lightly floured surface. Stack 2 phyllo sheets, brushing with melted butter between sheets. (Keep remaining phyllo sheets covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.) Place 1 chicken roll on short side of phyllo stack; gently roll up, folding in long side. Repeat procedure with remaining pastry, melted butter, and chicken. Place rolls in a shallow pan, and brush with melted butter.

Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. Serve on a bed of mixed greens, if desired.