Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
Tender, juicy, and cheesy, this Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe is perfect for any occasion. Made in one pan, this easy chicken recipe is a family-friendly meal you'll want to have on repeat.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 466kcal
Equipment
- Large oven-proof skillet
- mixing bowl
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided (60ml)
- 4 cups chopped fresh spinach (2 ounces/56g)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened (113g)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ cup grated parmesan (40g)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- In a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the spinach and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until the garlic is fragrant and spinach is wilted and vibrant green, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- To the spinach mixture, add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Mix until fully combined. Set aside.
- Create pockets in the chicken breasts by cutting a slit on one long end of the breast and cutting into the center of each piece, being careful not to cut through the back or sides of the breast.
- In a small bowl, whisk together salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture all over the outside of the chicken breasts. Stuff each piece with spinach mixture (about ¼ cup each), sealing the open end with a toothpick to secure if needed.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chicken breasts and cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the chicken registers 165°F. Remove the chicken from the skillet and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you don’t accidentally cut all the way through the chicken breast. If you cut through to the back, the filling will leak out. If you do cut too far, you can seal the breast back together with some toothpicks. Just make sure you remember to remove them before serving.
- When measuring the internal temperature of the stuffed chicken breast, make sure you are measuring the actual chicken and not the spinach stuffing.
- If you have leftover spinach artichoke dip, you can use that instead of making the spinach filling from scratch for this stuffed chicken breast with spinach recipe.
- Don’t skip browning the chicken breasts in the skillet. Browning the chicken adds a ton of extra flavor and gives it a nice texture.
- Room temperature cream cheese will mix much more easily than cream cheese straight out of the oven. If you had forgotten to take it out ahead of time, heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds at 50% power to soften it.
- Letting the chicken rest will allow the moisture to redistribute in the chicken to ensure moist, juicy bites of chicken. If you serve it too early, all the juices will run out after your first cut!
Nutrition
Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 1094mg | Potassium: 682mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3662IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 2mg