| Chicken a la Maria - Serves 6 | |
| ¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs 2 Tbs butter ¼ cup parmesan cheese 1½ lbs boneless chicken breasts 1 cup sliced scallions |
1+ cup milk 1 lb fresh spinach 4 oz boiled ham slices finly diced 2 tbl flour 3 cups cooked white rice |
| a) Cut the chicken into 1" strips, all about the same thickness. b) Mix the bread crumbs and cheese and dredge the chicken pieces to coat lightly. c) Arrange the strips in the bottom of a baking dish. Do not overlap or leave gaps. Sprinkly lightly with some leftover crumb mix. d) Stem the spinach, wash, and place in a large bowl. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes. Remove and stir. Microwave another 5 minutes. Put the spinach in a strainer and press with the back of a tablespoon, removing as much liquid as possible. But the spinach on a chopping block and chop finely (It will look like mush for the most part.) e) In a saucepan cook the scallions in butter until tender. Blend in the flour. Add 1 cup of milk all at once. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Stir in the spinach and ham. Cook another minute while stirring. If it seems too thick add more milk. f) Spoon the spinach sauce over the chicken pieces, covering all the pieces. Sprinkle lightly with leftover bread crumb mix. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve over rice. | |