Description
A quick and delicious recipe featuring tender boneless chicken breasts stuffed with a creamy mixture of fresh spinach, cream cheese, and mozzarella. Perfect for busy weeknights, this dish combines wholesome ingredients with rich flavors for a satisfying and impressive meal that’s naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Italian seasoning, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Parmesan cheese (optional), for topping
Filling
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Italian seasoning, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Filling: Sauté fresh spinach with minced garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until the spinach wilts and excess moisture evaporates. Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese and mozzarella until smooth and well combined. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.
- Prepare the Chicken Breasts: Carefully butterfly each chicken breast by slicing horizontally, stopping before cutting all the way through to create a pocket. Season both the outside and inside of each breast with salt, pepper, and a touch of Italian seasoning.
- Stuff the Chicken: Evenly spoon the spinach and cheese mixture into each chicken breast pocket. Secure the edges with toothpicks to keep the filling inside during cooking.
- Cook the Chicken Breasts: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the stuffed chicken breasts for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes more, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Optional Finishing Touch: In the last few minutes of cooking, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top of the chicken breasts and allow it to melt and form a golden crust if desired.
Notes
- Use a sharp knife and butterfly the chicken slowly to avoid cutting through.
- Drain cooked spinach thoroughly to remove excess moisture for a non-watery filling.
- Secure chicken edges with toothpicks to prevent stuffing leaks.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked perfectly without drying out.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes after cooking to retain juices before slicing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Pan-searing and baking (optional)
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed chicken breast
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg