How did I not know about Hasselback cooking before this? It’s a triple win—easy, the food cooks faster, and the presentation is impressive!

Hasselback cooking involves laying your food item lengthwise, and then making thin, uniform slits up-and-down that item, stopping about ¼ inch from the bottom. The cuts create a fan, but the food holds together in one piece because it’s still attached at the bottom. From there, you can stuff each opening or just brush with butter, olive oil, or a mix of the two, so that it gets in between the fans. Then brush the outside and bake.

The style is said to have started in the 1950s when the Hasselbacken Restaurant and Hotel in Stockholm served hasselbackspotatis. As the story goes, it didn’t catch on on a larger scale until it reappeared in food blogs around 2011.

This dish has risen to the top of my list for quick, easy, and delicious with a fancy presentation—it’s a great weeknight dinner but also one that I would serve to company.

I’ve started with Hasselback Chicken and Hasselback Potatoes—they’re both dedicated to the Swedish side of my family, the Swedes in the neighborhood that I grew up in, and to our extended family who still resides in that beautiful homeland.

Source: Adapted from Tasty—Hasselback Chicken

Serves: 2

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Total time: 35-40 minutes

Preheat oven to 400⁰F

Ingredients

  • ½ cup spinach
  • ½ cup mushrooms
  • 1 Tablespoon butter or oil
  • 2 boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ¼-½ cup cheddar cheese
  • Salt and pepper
  • Chopped green onions for garnish
  1. Cook the spinach and mushrooms in the butter/oil until the spinach is wilted and the mushrooms are tender (3-5 minutes). Set aside.
  2. Lay the chicken breast lengthwise on a cutting board and cut slits from top to bottom, stopping about ¼ inch from the bottom. Chicken should “fan” but hold together in one piece.
  3. Stuff the spinach mixture in between each of the fans.
  4. Salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with paprika (for flavor and color), and top with cheddar cheese.
  5. Bake in preheated 400⁰F oven for 20-25 minutes, until the juices are clear and the cheese is melted.
  6. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve.

Calories: 493 calories Total Fat: 27.8g Saturated Fat: 13.1g

Total Carbs: 1.2g Dietary Fiber: 0.4g Total Sugars: 0.5g

Cholesterol: 196mg Protein: 57.1g