Stuffed Chicken Breast

This stuffed chicken breast recipe features the creamiest and most delicious cheese and spinach filling enveloped in perfectly cooked meat. It’s fast to cook and easy to customize!

Chicken and chicken breasts are two of the most versatile ingredients to cook with. But even so, it can get repetitive. 

I often cook it in the air fryer or grill it with blackened seasoning for easy family dinners. However, when I feel like something a little fancier, I love to stuff them with our favorite things. 

Table of Contents

1. Recipe highlights
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make stuffed chicken breast
4. Alternative cooking methods
5. Recipe tips and variations
6. Flavor variations
7. Storage instructions
8. Frequently asked questions 
9. More skillet chicken breast recipes to try
10. Stuffed Chicken Breast (Recipe Card)

Recipe highlights

• A winning combination. Chicken, spinach, and cheese are a match made in heaven. You can never go wrong with this combination of ingredients. And sun-dried tomatoes are just there to make things even better. 
• Can be prepped in advance. You can stuff the chicken breast the night before and even two days in advance. I often stuff the chicken breasts the night before and even two days in advance and refrigerate them until I’m ready to cook.
• Low carb and nutritious. This recipe is perfect for those trying to keep their meals low-carb yet full of nutrients, including protein and fiber. 
• Ready in 10 minutes. Seriously, this makes a fast dinner recipe to whip up on busy weeknights.

What I love about this recipe is that it is an easy way to elevate chicken breasts and serve them for everyday meals and on special occasions. 

Ingredients needed

You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make this stuffed chicken recipe. Here’s everything that it calls for. 

• Chicken breast. Boneless. I like to use skinless chicken breasts, but skin-on chicken works well too. If you do opt for the latter, be sure to pat dry the skin to ensure it turns out crispy.
• Spinach. Baby spinach, chopped. 
• Cream cheese. Softened for easy mixing. Avoid using low fat or fat-free cream cheese as it will seep out moisture during the cooking process.
• Sun-dried tomatoes. Packed in oil, not water.
• Parmesan. Freshly grated. My #1 tip when working with recipes that call for cheese is to always grate or shred by hand. It melts easier and taste better.
• Feta. Use feta cheese with a soft and fluffy texture because it melts better. Avoid using feta that is dry and overly crumbly. 
• Salt and spices. I use black pepper and smoked paprika for this recipe. 
• Butter. To cook the chicken breasts. You can also use olive or any cooking oil you choose. 

How to make stuffed chicken breast

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prep the chicken breasts. Butterfly the chicken breasts. This implies cutting the chicken breast horizontally, leaving one edge intact. Fold the chicken breast open and season the outer side with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. 

Step 2- Mix the filling ingredients. In a small bowl, mix cream cheese with grated parmesan cheese, feta cheese, chopped baby spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. Mix until well combined. 

Step 3- Stuff the chicken. Put some of the cream cheese mixture on one side of the butterflied chicken breast. Fold the other side over to close the chicken breast and secure it with toothpicks. 

Step 4- Cook the chicken. Heat a skillet on medium heat. Once hot, add a knob of butter to it and brown the chicken on all sides. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees in the thickest part. 

Alternative cooking methods

While I prefer to cook stuffed chicken on the stovetop, I’ve also tested this recipe in the air fryer and the oven! Here is how you’d do it:

Air fryer method: Add the stuffed chicken to a greased air fryer basket. Air fry at 200C/400F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Oven method: Prep the chicken as instructed, then add them to a cast iron skillet or oven-safe dish. Bake at 180C/350F for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F. For an even juicer chicken, sear it before baking.

Recipe tips and variations

• Use the broil setting of your oven to brown the stuffed chicken breasts even more if you like it that way. However, be sure to leave the chicken in the oven for only a minute or two because it burns VERY quickly.
• You can use frozen spinach for this recipe if you don’t have fresh spinach. For frozen spinach, thaw it completely and squeeze well to get rid of all the liquid. 
• I recommend working with softened/room-temperature cream cheese. It will make the mixture mixable and creamy. If your cream cheese is a little too hard, microwave it for 15-20 seconds.

Flavor variations

The beauty of this recipe is just how easy it is to customize with your favorite vegetables, cheeses, and additions. Here are some ideas:

• Add mushrooms. Mushrooms and chicken are such a fantastic combination, and add a rich umami flavor and more protein to this dish. 
• Use broccoli. If you don’t have sun-dried tomatoes, swap them with broccoli. The taste and texture will be different, but the dish will turn out just as stunning. Finely chopped broccoli florets are also a great substitute for spinach. 
• Make it cheesier with mozzarella. You can never go wrong with mozzarella cheese in stuffed chicken. Other cheeses I’ve tried in stuffed chicken are ricotta and cheddar cheese. 
• Add bacon. Bacon makes everything taste better, but especially when added to a chicken dish (have you tried my famous bacon wrapped chicken or crack chicken yet?). 

Storage instructions

To store: Once the spinach-stuffed chicken breast cools, store the leftovers in an airtight container and place them in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To freeze: Place the cooled and cooked chicken in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheating: Reheat covered in a pan on the stovetop or in the oven. Microwaving is also an option, though I don’t find it to be the best way to reheat stuffed chicken breasts as it dries them out. 

Frequently asked questions 

More skillet chicken breast recipes to try

• Tuscan chicken– One pan chicken full of Italian flavors.
• Chicken florentine– Similar to above but with a much creamier sauce.
• Hunan chicken– My go-to stir-fry that is full of flavor.
• Blackened chicken– My family loves this sliced in tacos and other Mexican dishes.

Recipe originally published October 2022, but updated to include new information and video for your benefit.