Chicken Florentine Casserole

This makes an elegant meal and it is quick to cook.  It does require a few pans but the end result makes this dish worth the clean up.  Bring this out in the casserole dish and let everyone serve themselves.  I suggest  that you cube the chicken.  I cut mine into strips and it would have been easier to serve, if I had cubed it.  But the meal was delicious and, other than the manner in which I cut the chicken, I was very pleased.

I used bacon in this but you could substitute oil for frying and ham in place of the bacon bits.  It is strictly up to you and what your family likes..You will not need to cook the sauce as long as you would if you were serving it as gravy.  It will finish cooking in the oven.



Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Ingredients

4 slices of Bacon, snipped into little pieces
2 10-ounce boxes of frozen Spinach
1/4 cup of butter
1 Tablespoon of minced Garlic
1/8 teaspoon each of Basil and Thyme
1/4 cup of Flour
3/4 cup of Whipping Cream
34 cup of Chicken Stock
1/3 cup of Wine, white or rose'
3 Chicken Breasts, cubed into 1 inch pieces
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder
1 cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

1.Cook spinach according to package directions.  I used the microwave to cook mine.  Quick and easy. Season lightly with salt and pepper, add basil and thyme.  Mix to combine Spread in the bottom of an 8" X 8" oven proof casserole dish and set aside.

2. Cook snipped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. remove to a plate. Sprinkle cubed chicken, lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Fry chicken in batches, in the bacon drippings, until the chicken is starting brown and is done.  Remove from skillet.and place on top of the spinach in the casserole dish.

4. Add  butter. to the hot skillet.  Allow the butter to melt, then whisk in flour.  Cook until flour just starts to brown.  Add wine to deglaze; then whipping cream and chicken stock.  Cook, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens.Once the sauce has thickened, pour over the chicken and spinach.  Top with bacon bits and cover entire dish with cheese.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Deloris