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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
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
The best way to stuff chicken breast is by butterflying it first. You may cut a pocket into the breast and stuff it that way. However, with this method, you end up with less filling in each chicken breast.
The easiest and most efficient way to seal stuffed chicken is with toothpicks. You can also seal it with strings.
Fold open the chicken breast, cover it with cling wrap and pound it to flatten it. You can use a meat mallet to pound and flatten the chicken breast. If you don’t have one, use a rolling pin, a cast iron skillet, or any heavy and hard object you have at hand.
As this chicken is incredibly flavorful and satisfying, simple vegetables are best to pair with it. For something hearty (and quick), try air fryer baked potatoes or air fryer sweet potatoes. For some greens, my family enjoys asparagus, green beans, or broccoli.
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.
Stuffed Chicken Breast
Video
Ingredients
- 4 small chicken breasts skinless and boneless
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 6 ounces + 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup feta cheese
- 1 cup baby spinach chopped
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
- 1 tablespoon butter to cook
Instructions
- Butterfly your chicken breasts and sprinkle the outside with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, parmesan cheese, feta cheese, baby spinach, and sun dried tomatoes.
- Stuff the chicken breasts with the filling, and use toothpicks to hold everything in place.
- Place a skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and once hot, and the chicken and brown all sides of it. Cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 165.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe originally published October 2022, but updated to include new information and video for your benefit.
This chicken was so delicious and flavorful! It came out juicy, tender, and cooked to perfection! The stuffing mixture is so creamy and I love that it includes veggies. This was the best chicken recipe I have made it in a long time and I will definitely be making it again! The recipe was also very easy to follow and it didn’t take long at all.
Thanks, Jenna!
So simple and so good.
Yumm it was delicious and chicken is so tender and flavourful and a very easy recipe to cook. it us going to be my go to recipe for now onwards 🥰
This is a keeper. I am adding it to my meal rotation. My
family and I enjoyed this chicken a lot. It did not contain a bucnh of ingredients that were hard to find and it was simple to put together. It is quite delicious.
Would really try!
Can I saute and cover and bake 2 hours later
I wouldn’t bake for 2 hours- you’ll dry it out. Maybe 20-ish minutes? Use a meat thermometer to check.
Even My teenager loves it when I cook this chicken. This is my fourth time and I can go for more. I usually leave out the sun-dried tomatoes and feta because I don’t have them in my kitchen unless Especially for them.
Highly recommended dish!
Loved it!
These look delicious. Due to special dietary needs soft cheeses are something I should not eat. Is there something I can substitute in place of the cream cheese? I really look forward to these.
Hi Laura- you can just keep it as a hard shredded cheese and mix in some sour cream 🙂
Delicious! I love the combination of spinach and feta. My chicken pieces were quite large so I browned them well and finished them off in the oven so they were really juicy and tender.
This was so good! Will be adding it to my recipe collection!
Very easy and budget friendly. Always looking for other ways to enjoy chicken! Will definitely add to my rotation
Such an easy elegant dinner, I love it when good food is a snap to make!
Delicious! The filling is creamy and rich while the chicken is crisp and juicy! This is the perfect dinner recipe that I will definitely be making again!
Had a lot of fun making this one! Had it with some buttered spaghetti (for some delicious carbs) and had the best dinner ever. Super easy to make and easily available ingredients for those who get very little groceries like me haha.
This is easy to make and very tasty…. I added some sun dried tomatoes to it.
Thank you for all the delicious, healthy recipes – my kids love them.
I made this tonight, it was delicious! Even the picky kids enjoyed it 🙂
These were fantastic
Stuffed chicken is delicious.
The chicken was absolutely delicious! I loved it and I am definitely going to make it again!
The Flavors!!!
So good!!
I followed the recipe exactly, and it came out delicious!
Will definitely try! Looks tasty
I made this lastight, super easy and tasty! I did brown in the pan but finished in the oven , as my chicken breast were pretty thick, i think next time i will pound the chicken so they cook more evenly.
OMG these recipe is so tasty and so easy to make a great quick and easy dinner with a nice salad
Yum love your recipes
Easy quick tasty
Excellent dish as are all of yours 👌
Excellent, so many variations. Love this guy.
Thanks, Linda!
Best stuffed chicken breast recipe ever.
Phenomenal! This chef is PHENOMENAL…I’ve tried many recipes. This chicken was outrageous!
Aw, thank you Mary!
This was the best stuffed chicken breast recipe I’ve ever made!
Great to hear that, Allen!
Omg!!
I made the stuffed chicken breast and they were delicious. I Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
You are welcome 🙂
Can I saute and cover and bake 2 hours later
Very tasty and easy to make. Shall cook this again. Thank you.
Very quick and easy to do if really short of time prepare the middle mix night before
Loved it
Absolutely delicious
So delicious! I ran short on cream cheese but added extra feta and it was great. Air fried them and I can’t imagine them being better.
Prep time was more than 1 minute between filleting the chicken, seasoning it, chopping the spinach, mixing and stuffing the filling, and toothpicking, but it was still super easy.
You have a new follower!
How long did you cook in the air fryer?
Made this one exactly like the recipe. Everyone in my family loved it.
Delicious! Loved the creamy filling, will be making this again and again.
My husband LOVES this chicken!!! So do I !!!
Great recipe. Will use make this again!
Fast, easy and delicious
Hyoooo and delicias
Ok
I made 12 of these for a family gathering at my campsite in my mini kitchen. I finished by baking them at 350 degrees on a closed grill. Everyone loved them and asked for the recipe!
Just finished eating this with my husband and 2 adult sons. Used roasted red peppers in place of the sun dried tomatoes but everything else the same. Pan fried and served with mashed potatoes and green beans. 10 out of 10 from all of us. Yum! And thank you!!
Can’t wait to try this
Can these be prepared and frozen raw?
I wouldn’t- they tend to not cook as well. You’d be better off cooking them, cooling them, then freezing.
This was just awesome. cooked it in the air fryer! thanks so much for all the great recipes.
I have to cook gluten free, egg free and keto for this family and your recipes have helped me so much.
It was delicious. I used an air fryer and it was perfect. The prep took longer than stated but even so, this was quick and on the table in 30 minutes.
Thank you for the recipe😋😋
Came out really good! I didn’t do so great with cutting the chicken so it was a bit messy while frying but it was worth the effort. It also took me much longer than 11 minutes to prepare and cook. It was a bit too late for a meal so I chose to put one on a pita with Tzatziki sauce and it was an amazing lighter choice! Thank you for the recipe!
can i leave out the feta?
Yes! You can add more cheese if you like!
Have to try the stuffed chicken best, it looks delicious. Thank you
Tastiest thing I’ve cooked in months! Looking forward to cooking it again. I did halve 2 thick chicken breasts (front to back) then butterflied those halves to stuff which seemed to have helped with cooking and was enough for each portion. Came out very tender and tasty! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Do you cook the chicken then stuff it.
Nope 🙂 Cook it all together.
I think some minced garlic and shallot would elevate the flavor of this dish, but other than that it is absolutely delicious!
I made this recipe exactly as written and really, really enjoyed it. Made a few and will freeze one for a upcoming camping trip. Served with roasted broccoli and zucchini! Excellent meal! Thanks for the great recipe!
Can you bake thse stuffed chicken breast in the oven?
You can- just be careful to not overcook it (use a meat thermometer)
How long would you suggest baking for?
I find 35-40 minutes to be good (at 180C) but I always check using a meat thermometer.
Making this now. Putting my own twist on it. Left out the tomatoes. Seasoned chicken with a Cajon seasoning and baking it instead of frying in skillet. Serving with sauteed brussel sprouts with bacon and and buffalo chicken flavor rice a roni
Can I use boneless thighs?
Choose larger thighs- They will hold everything better 🙂