Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Creamy and cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken is so juicy and tasty. Searing on the stove then finishing it off in the oven ensures it is perfectly cooked in the center. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is.

Why You Will Love Stuffed Chicken Breast

We love stuffed chicken breast recipes from Stuffed Chicken Parmesan to Easy Chicken Kiev, and let’s not forget Chicken Pesto Roll-Ups. If you are looking for new chicken dinner ideas, this Spinach Stuffed Chicken is a must-try!

My brother-in-law Vitalik shared this Spinach Chicken with my husband and we lost no time in recreating the dish. Tender chicken stuffed with cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh chopped spinach. It was love at first bite! The filling becomes super creamy and cheesy in the oven and it keeps the chicken breast really juicy.

Ingredients for Stuffed Chicken

The key to making great stuffed chicken breasts is to use even-sized pieces. This way they all finish baking at the same time.

• Chicken Breast – we use 3 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts totaling about 1 3/4 to 2 lbs.
• Seasoning – salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to season the outside of the chicken.
• Cream Cheese – use 4 oz of cold block-style cream cheese
• Mayonnaise – makes the filling extra creamy so it melts easier without curdling. Mayo makes many things better!
• Garlic – adding fresh garlic cloves to the filling is a must. We use a garlic press for this.
• Spinach – freshly chopped spinach works great. See our notes below on substituting with frozen.
• Cheese – the combination of mozzarella and parmesan adds the perfect balance of saltiness and melty cheesiness.
  
  
  

How to Make Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

• 1. Make Filling – use a fork to mash together cream cheese, mayo, minced garlic, and salt. Mash in chopped spinach, shredded mozzarella, and parmesan.
  2. Cut slits in chicken – lay chicken breast flat and use a sharp knife to cut a slit about 3/4 of the way into the chicken.
  3. Stuff chicken – fill each chicken breast with 1/3 of the mixture then seal edges with toothpicks.
  4. Sear chicken – heat a large 10″ oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and saute chicken 4 minutes per side until browned.
  5. Bake – transfer your hot skillet to the preheated oven at 425˚F for about 10-15 minutes (depending on chicken thickness), or until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of your chicken registers 165˚F.
     
     
     

     Pro Tip: Make sure you don’t cut all the way through the chicken so the filling is less likely to leak out. If you do, no problem, just seal the other side with a toothpick.

Common Questions:

• 1. Do I remove the attached chicken tenders?

     Some very large chicken breasts will have a strip of chicken tender meat attached. Remove tenders and use them to make Crispy Chicken Tenders.

     Can I use chicken thighs?

     Chicken thighs are more difficult to seal and require a little more trimming of fat, but it would work to stuff thighs. Follow the method we used on our Stuffed Chicken Thighs Recipe.

     Can I use frozen spinach?

     Frozen spinach works if thawed and squeezed dry to remove the excess liquid.

     How many people does this serve?

     If you cut three chicken breasts in half, you can easily serve 6 people with about 5 oz of chicken each. You can also use 4 small chicken breasts for 4 generous portions, just be sure to reduce the cooking time accordingly with smaller chicken breasts.
     
     
     

     Serving Tip: Some of the fillings will escape and turn into tasty pan drippings. Spoon that yummy pan sauce over your chicken when serving.

How to Reheat Stuffed Chicken

• 1. Chicken breast is a lean protein so it can be challenging to reheat without it getting tough or having that reheated chicken taste. Stuffed chicken is best served fresh, but it does reheat well. Be sure the chicken reaches 165˚F in the center on a thermometer
     
     

     • Oven – this is the preferred method. Preheat oven to 325˚F, cover with foil to prevent drying out, and bake 10-15 minutes until hot.
     • Stove-top – place in a lightly oiled skillet over low heat, cover, and saute until hot. Flip chicken at least once.
     • Microwave – this is the least desirable method, but if you insist, cut chicken in half so the heat penetrates better. Sprinkle water and any pan juices over your chicken, heat on 50% power, and check at 30-45 second intervals until steaming hot throughout.
       
       
       
       

Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Prep Time: 7 minutes

 

Cook Time: 23 minutes

 

Total Time: 30 minutes

• 1. • 

       Cream Cheese Spinach Stuffed Chicken is so juicy and tasty. Searing on the stove first gives it beautiful color, then finishing it off in the oven ensures it’s cooked without drying out. This recipe serves 6 if you cut the stuffed chicken breasts in half.
       
       

       Author: Natasha Kravchuk

       Course: Main Course

       Cuisine: American

       Keyword: spinach stuffed chicken, Stuffed Chicken Breast

       Skill Level: Easy/Medium

       Cost to Make: $10-$12

       Calories: 211

       Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

For the Chicken Breasts:

• 1. • • 3 large chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (1 3/4 to 2 lbs, even-sized pieces)
       • 3/4 tsp salt
       • 1/2 tsp black pepper
       • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
       • 1/2 tsp paprika
       • 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

For the Filling:

• 1. • • 4 oz cream cheese, cold
       • 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
       • 2 garlic cloves, pressed
       • 1/4 tsp saltsalt
       • 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped
       • 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
       • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

• 1. • 1. Preheat oven to 425˚F with a rack in the center. In a mixing bowl, mash together cream cheese, mayo and garlic with a fork then stir in mozzarella, parmesan and chopped spinach leaves until combined.

       2. Lay chicken on a flat surface and cut slit 3/4 of the way through without cutting all the way through. Stuff each chicken breast with 1/3 of the mixture and seal horizontally with a toothpick (make sure the chicken breast can lay flat on the sides for searing.

       3. Season the outside of the chicken breast all over with 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp paprika, or season to taste.

       4. Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in an oven-proof pan such as cast iron, or large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté for 4 minutes per side until golden brown on each side.

       5. Flip a second time and immediately transfer skillet to preheated oven. Bake at 425˚F for 10-15 minutes until thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers at 165˚F. Rest chicken 5 minutes before slicing. Spoon pan juices over chicken to serve.

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