Chicken and Spinach Spinacine

Spinacine are a delicious and quite simple dish to prepare. Here is the recipe for tasty chicken and spinach spinacine:

Ingredients

• 500 g of ground chicken breast
• 200 g of fresh or frozen spinach
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 100 g of breadcrumbs
• 50 g of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutmeg to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil or frying oil

Preparation

1. If you’re using fresh spinach, wash it thoroughly and then boil it in salted boiling water for about 1-2 minutes. If you’re using frozen spinach, thaw and drain the excess water. In both cases, squeeze the spinach well to eliminate all the water and chop coarsely.

2. In a non-stick pan, sauté the garlic cloves with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add the chopped spinach and sauté for a few minutes. Remove the garlic and let the spinach cool down.

3. In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken breast with the sautéed spinach, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, salt, pepper, and a grating of nutmeg.

4. Mix all the ingredients well until you have a homogeneous mixture.

5. Divide the mixture into equal parts and shape into oval patties or the shape you prefer.

6. You can cook the spinacine in different ways: fry them in a pan with hot oil until golden on both sides or bake them in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20-25 minutes, until they are golden and crispy on the outside.

Remember that if you opt for baking, to obtain a crispier crust you can dip the spinacine in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs before placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Curiosity

Spinacine are a variant of the classic cutlets, in this case enriched with spinach, which increases their nutritional value by providing iron and vitamins. They are an excellent alternative to get children to eat vegetables as well and can be a way to make a simple chicken breast more substantial and interesting.