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 one of the most versatile ingredients to cook with. But even so, it can get repetitive. 

We often cook it in the air fryer or grill it with some blackened seasoning. However, when we feel like something a little fancier, we love to stuff them with our favorite things. 

Why this recipe works

• 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 a night before and even two days in advance. Refrigerate the raw stuffed chicken breasts and cook them when you need to. 
• 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 we love about this recipe is that it is an easy way to elevate chicken breasts and serve them not only for everyday meals but on special occasions, too. 

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. You may or may not leave the skin on. 
• Spinach. Baby spinach, chopped. 
• Cream cheese. Softened for easy mixing. 
• Sun-dried tomatoes. In oil. 
• Parmesan. Freshly grated. 
• Feta. Use feta cheese with a soft and fluffy texture. 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 the cooking oil of your choice. 

How to make stuffed chicken breast

While this recipe make look incredibly fancy, it’s actually deceptively easy to make and comes together very quickly.

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 filling 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. 

Can you air fry this?

You can totally make this dish in the air fryer. Air fryer stuffed chicken breast turns out evenly cooked, juicy, and with a perfect golden crust on the chicken. Also, air frying is always healthier than frying food in oil. 

To air fry, add the stuffed chicken into a greased air fryer basket. Air fry at 200C/400F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Tips to make the best recipe

• Use the broil setting of your oven to brown the stuffed chicken breasts even more if you like it that way. Leave the chicken in the oven for only a minute or two to avoid drying it out. 
• 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. 
• If you are trying to make the cheese filling but your cream cheese isn’t soft enough to mix well with the rest of the ingredients, microwave it for 15 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 fit perfectly into this stuffed chicken recipe. They 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 in stuffed chicken. Other cheeses you can use in the stuffed chicken are ricotta and cheddar. 
• Add bacon. Bacon makes everything taste better, but especially when added to a chicken dish (have you tried our crack chicken yet?). 

Storage instructions

To store: Once the stuffed chicken breast cools, store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate 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. 

More chicken breast recipes to try

• Tuscan chicken
• Chicken florentine
• Mexican chicken soup
• Hunan chicken
• Blackened chicken

Frequently asked questions