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I love to cook, but as a poverty-stricken college student, I have been having a hard time finding recipes with a minimal amount of inexpensive ingredients and preparation time. I don't have a lot of time to spend cooking dinner, and I certainly don't have the money to buy a bunch of ingredients for one meal. I wanted to cook a meal on my own terms, inexpensive yet delicious. My situation is not unique; everyone is looking for a cheap, simple solution to the proverbial question, "What's for dinner?" So, I came up with a Gouda-stuffed chicken dish, and I am going to share my creation with you. To start, you will need: two skinless, boneless chicken breasts, one and a half cups of grated Gouda cheese, three-fourths a cup of chopped spinach (I prefer fresh, but you may use frozen), a cup of white or blush wine (any favorite variety will do; I prefer White Grenache or Chardonnay), and a dash of pepper and nutmeg. These ingredients should not cost you more than fifteen dollars, and many of them you may already have.

First, you have to make the stuffing. Toss the grated Gouda and chopped spinach together in a large bowl. Then you must sprinkle about a teaspoon of nutmeg over the stuffing and toss it all again. You don't have to use the nutmeg, but it adds so much flavor to the chicken that I highly recommend doing so.

Next, you need to prepare the chicken for the stuffing. Take each piece and make an incision along the thickest side of the breast that stretches to about one inch on either end. Be sure to make the incision shallow at first, because you don't want to make holes in your chicken breasts. If there are holes, the stuffing will melt out. Once you have made your incision, continue to work the knife into the breast through the initial cut. This will create the pocket into which you will place the stuffing. When both breasts are prepared, set them to the side.

You will be baking the chicken in the oven, so you need to cook it in an oven-safe, size appropriate dish. I use a small, glass casserole dish. Take each chicken breast and stuff it with the Gouda mixture. Stuff the breasts tightly because the cheese looses density when it melts. When the breasts are stuffed, you can either close the incision by pinching the two halves together and pinning them with toothpicks, or by simply placing them in the dish with the incisions facing up. When both breasts are resting in the dish, pour the wine over them and cook them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. They should cook for about 30 minutes or until the chicken flesh is no longer pink inside. Ten minutes before the chicken should be done cooking, sprinkle the tops of the breasts with any remaining stuffing mix.

This dish is very versatile. I like to serve it with rice, but you can serve any side dish that you particularly like. You may also vary the recipe by adding a little more wine and some olive oil to the pan and roast some portabello mushrooms in with the chicken. The mushrooms will take on a wine and chicken flavor that is absolutely delicious. They are fairly inexpensive, and they are a tasty alternative to meat. Adding them can make your meal go twice as far. I believe that this recipe is my best because it can be altered to feed as many as needed, it can be dressed up with some rosemary, garlic, and red potatoes, or it can be a casual meal for two that is ready in under 45 minutes. I hope that you will enjoy cooking this dinner as much as I do, and I hope that you make your own variations to it. This dish can be everyone's "secret recipe."

Learn more about this author, Erin K. Wiedemer.
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