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Packed with a creamy spinach and cheese filling, this delicious stuffed chicken breast makes an impressive and super easy mid-week dinner.
There are dozens of ways to upgrade an ordinary chicken breast into a delicious meal – and stuffed chicken breast with spinach and cheese is one of my favorite ways. Easy to assemble and make ahead, getting deliciously moist chicken breast that’s packed with flavor has never been so simple.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast: Try to get breasts of a similar size so they cook evenly. They should be boneless and skinless.
- Spinach
- Cheese: You need a combination of mozzarella, parmesan, and cream cheese.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes: You can use store-bought or make your own.
- Lemon: Juice and zest. Both bring a delicious flavor so I highly recommend using them.
- Olive Oil
- Herbs and Spices: Fresh basil, garlic powder, oregano, chili flakes, paprika, black pepper, and salt.
How to make stuffed chicken breast
Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC.
Prepare the Filling: Add the fresh spinach to a large, dry pan. Turn on the heat and cover the leaves until they wilt – the heat will get them to release water and the steam will wilt the spinach. You don’t need any oil or water.
Once the spinach has wilted (reduced in size), chop the spinach into smaller pieces. Then, chop up the sundried tomatoes and basil leaves into small pieces. In a small bowl, mix them with the cream cheese, parmesan, mozzarella, oregano, lemon zest, garlic powder, and chili flakes.
Prepare the Chicken: Make a single long cut horizontally through the middle of the chicken breast, ensuring you stop before cutting entirely through the meat. You need to form a pocket (refer to the image below). Then season the chicken breast from all sides and inside with the paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Stuff the chicken: Fill each of the chicken breasts with ¼ of the spinach and cheese mixture until all the cream cheese mixture has been used between the 4 breasts. Be careful not to over-stuff.
Cook: In a large pan or skillet, add the olive oil and sauté the stuffed chicken breasts on medium-high heat, turning them on both sides until you achieve a golden brown exterior. Then, put the pan directly into the oven and bake at 375ºF/190ºC for a further 20 minutes to ensure the inside is cooked.
When fully cooked, the chicken will have an internal temperature of 165°F/ 74°C. Check the thickest part of the chicken with a meat thermometer or ensure the juices run clear when pierced with a fork/knife before removing it from the oven.
Storage Instructions
- In The Fridge: Allow the chicken breasts to cool, then place them in an airtight container. They’ll keep for up to 4 days.
- In The Freezer: Transfer the cooled chicken into a Ziplock bag or a freezer-safe container. You may want to wrap your chicken in plastic wrap or foil before placing it in the container or bag to prevent freezer burn. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Leave the stuffed chicken breasts in the fridge to defrost overnight. Reheat in a pan with a little oil until the chicken has browned a little more and warmed through or heat through in the oven. You may want to cover it with foil to prevent any more cooking.
What to serve with stuffed chicken breasts
An easy stuffed chicken breast needs equally easy sides to serve with it:
- Potatoes: Pile high mashed or roasted potatoes alongside these stuffed chicken breasts, or experiment with creamy gratin potatoes or crispy smashed potatoes.
- Veggies: Pair with other green veggies to compliment the spinach like green beans, broccoli, snow peas, or grilled romaine lettuce for extra crunch. Or try it with roasted parsnips for added sweetness.
- Comfort Food Sides: Try adding other comforting and creamy sides to make a delicious dish – macaroni cheese, biscuits, and creamed corn compliment the chicken wonderfully.
- Salads: For an easy lunch (and a great way to serve leftovers), enjoy the stuffed chicken breasts with a wholesome side salad.
More chicken breast recipes
If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 30 oz chicken breasts 4 medium (each about 7.5 oz)
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive oil for the chicken seasoning to stick
- 1.5 Tbsp lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
- 3 Tbsp olive oil to saute the chicken
Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 cup)
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese (1 cup shredded)
- 0.7 oz parmesan cheese (1/3 cup grated)
- 3.5 oz spinach (3 packed cups)
- 2 oz sun dried tomatoes (1/2 cup, drained if in oil; if not in oil – soak in boiling water for about 5 minutes to rehydrate them)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh basil OR 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest from the half lemon we are juicing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC.
- Add the fresh spinach to a large, dry pan. Turn on the heat and cover the leaves until they wilt – the heat will get them to release water and the steam will wilt the spinach. You don't need any oil or water.
- Once the spinach has wilted (reduced in size), chop the spinach into smaller pieces. Also, chop the sundried tomatoes and basil leaves into small pieces. Mix them with the cream cheese, parmesan, mozzarella, oregano, lemon zest, garlic powder, and chili flakes.
- Make a single long cut horizontally through the middle of the chicken breast, ensuring you stop before cutting entirely through the meat. You need to form a pocket (refer to the image on the post).
- Season the chicken breast from all sides and inside with the paprika, salt, pepper, 1 Tbsp of olive oil, and the lemon juice.
- Fill each of the chicken breasts with ¼ of the spinach and cheese mixture until all the mixture has been used between the 4 breasts. Be careful not to over-stuff.
- In a large pan or skillet, add 3 Tbsp of olive oil and saute the stuffed chicken breasts on medium-high heat, turning them on both sides until you achieve a golden brown exterior. Then, put the pan directly into the oven and bake at 375ºF/190ºC for a further 20 minutes to ensure the inside is cooked.
- When fully cooked, the chicken will have an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. Check the thickest part of the chicken with a meat thermometer or ensure the juices run clear when pierced with a fork/knife before removing it from the oven.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
