Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Any time I make a chicken dish in this household and get rave reviews from the husband, I know that we have a real winner! He definitely prefers red meat but doesn't mind if I cook chicken every once in a while. I came across this recipe recently and tweaked it just a bit and we both love it! I served it with garlic mashed potatoes (I'm also including that recipe in this post) and it was comfort food heaven :). Enjoy!

SPINACH-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle Olive Garden Italian salad dressing
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 1/2 c. chopped fresh spinach


Place chicken breasts in a gallon-size Ziploc bag and pour entire bottle of salad dressing over them.
Let marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably 6-8 hours if possible.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove chicken breasts from marinade and pat dry.
Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast.
In a small bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, and spinach.
Spoon spinach mixture into each chicken breast, dividing evenly.
Place stuffed chicken breasts in a 13x9-inch baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.



GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
Ingredients:
2 large heads of garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 pounds potatoes (either red potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled, or peeled Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes), cut into 3/4" dice
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 c. heavy cream, room temperature


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cut the top 1/2 inch from each garlic head to reveal the cloves.
Discard the tops.
Drizzle cut surfaces with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place garlic heads, cut side up, in a small baking dish.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake until garlic is deep beige and very tender when squeezed, about 1 1/2 hours.
Let cool until easy to handle.
Once cooled, squeeze garlic from the hulls into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Set aside.

Put potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well.

Return potatoes to their cooking pot. Add butter, cream, and roasted garlic. Mash with a potato masher (or use an electric mixer if you want them extra smooth). Season with salt and pepper and then serve.