This easy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe is perfect for a date-night dinner! It’s seasoned with garlic, paprika, and pepper on the outside, but it’s bursting with flavor on the inside too – filled with soft cream cheese, fresh spinach leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, and two types of cheese!
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I love finding new ways to make chicken because it’s so versatile! The trick is finding the right combination of flavors to get a juicy and delicious meal.
This is one of the best stuffed chicken breast recipes I have made, and it’s easy to customize too.
It’s quick enough to put together on a busy weeknight, but it looks and tastes fantastic too!
The spinach and cream cheese filling is a great way to get more nutrients into weeknight meals for the whole family. It’s so creamy and cheesy you can sneak it in without complaints!
If you love stuffed chicken, you’ll also love my Chicken Breasts with Cheese & Maple Bacon Jam and these Nacho Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts.
We love pairing this dinner with Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta, Creamy Cheese Tortellini or Buttered Noodles!
Ingredients Needed:
Chicken Breasts:
- Chicken: use boneless and skinless chicken breasts (halves).
- Oil: to sear the chicken, I like to use canola oil, but you can use olive oil or butter if you prefer.
- Seasoning: kosher salt, garlic powder, paprika, and freshly ground black pepper are the perfect combination here.
Spinach Filling:
- Spinach & Garlic: use fresh spinach leaves or frozen ones that you can defrost and pad dry with paper towels (you don’t want any extra moisture!). Freshly minced garlic is best for the filling too.
- Cream Cheese: use full fat or reduced-fat plain cream cheese as the base of your filling. Full-fat cream cheese contains less water so it may hold up better while cooking.
- Cheese: I used shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, and ricotta cheese (minus juices) for a deliciously creamy cheese mix.
- Tomatoes: sun-dried tomatoes add extra flavor!
How to Make Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
Spinach-stuffed chicken breasts are quick and easy to make. Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
- Prepare chicken. With a sharp knife, make a cut halfway through the whole width of the chicken breasts to slice them in half but don’t cut all the way through.
- Butterfly. Butterfly them, slicing through the chicken breast as pictured, leaving the halves connected.
- Make filling. Beat cream cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and garlic together.
- Add other ingredients. Add spinach and tomatoes and combine.
- Stuff chicken. Spread filling in the opening of each chicken breast, then pin it shut.
- Cook. Season the chicken breasts on the outside and cook.
Stuffed Chicken Breast FAQs
The best way to stuff a chicken breast to get the most filling is to butterfly it, add the filling, and secure the other half back on top for cooking. This technically makes a chicken breast sandwich with the filling instead of “stuffing” it, but when the chicken cooks, it will seal together a bit and your stuffed chicken will remain intact.
You only need simple ingredients to make chicken taste great. Savory flavors like onions and garlic are good staples, then add seasonings with herbs, spices, and even fruit! You can also stuff chicken breasts with other meat, like ground sausage, or wrap it in bacon for more flavor too!
Once the stuffed chicken breasts have cooled, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven until thoroughly heated through.
Yes! This is a great recipe for meal prep. Assemble the stuffed chicken breasts, then wrap them in plastic wrap so the filling doesn’t come out, and store them in a freezer-safe container, or in Ziploc bags in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook, thaw completely before continuing with the recipe or bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
To freeze them after cooking, store them in the same way but only freeze them for 2 months.
Tips and Notes
- This recipe is great for date night, which is why I created it for 2 people. One chicken breast is large enough for two people with sides, so this recipe could serve 4, or you can always double it if you are looking to feed the whole family.
- Your filling ingredients must not be overly wet (ricotta, spinach, tomatoes, etc., or the filling will run out of the chicken). If some of the filling does run out, don’t stress. Just serve it as a creamy sauce alongside the chicken.
Stuffed Chicken Variations
- Add some spice. Add red pepper flakes and chili powder to your soup when serving for a bit of heat.
- Breaded. Add a breaded coating to the chicken breasts before cooking them for a crunchy texture, like in my Nacho Cheese Stuffed Fried Chicken.
- Cream cheese. Use Boursin cheese or flavored cream cheese to your preference.
- Try to create your own flavor combination! This recipe is so versatile, you can mix and match your flavors, but here are some combinations to get you started.
- Asparagus, gouda, with mozzarella cheese on top.
- Brie and cranberry filling, with the chicken wrapped in bacon.
- Broccoli and cheddar cheese
Serving Suggestions
This stuffed chicken is delicious when served alongside Creamy Mashed Potatoes, or Jasmine Rice.
Serve it with some vegetables for added nutrients like these Green Beans with Bacon, Roasted Carrots, or this Roast Vegetable Medley.
If you’re keeping it low carb then skip the potatoes and rice and add more veggies!
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves of about 1 lb
- 2 oz cream cheese ¼ cup
- 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese if there are juices in the container, don’t scoop any as it will make the filling too wet
- 2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach or ⅓ cup frozen, thawed, and squeezed dry
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes patted dry and finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts on a cutting board and butterfly — slicing them open as pictured so they are still connected on one side but you have a large opening for cheese.
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and minced garlic with an electric mixer until combined (you can also use a spoon!). Add spinach and tomatoes and beat until combined.
- Spread half of the spinach mixture into the opening of each chicken breast, then pin it shut with a few toothpicks around the sides.
- Preheat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil.
- Combine the seasoning: salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Sprinkle over all sides of the chicken.
- Sear the chicken evenly on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. Lower the temperature to medium heat, cover, and cook until the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. (*Optional: you can finish cooking in a 425 degree F oven if you prefer — both will take about 10 minutes).
- If your chicken starts to brown too much, you can add a small splash of water or broth to the pan.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Store: Once the stuffed chicken breasts have cooled, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven until thoroughly heated.
- Freeze: Assemble the stuffed chicken breasts, then wrap them in plastic wrap so the filling doesn’t come out, and store them in a freezer-safe container, or in Ziploc bags in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze them after cooking, store them in the same way but only freeze them for 2 months.
Nutrition Information
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Lori Roman says
I made this tonight I just had no ricotta so I left it out. Plus I’m not a huge fan of it anyway just added a little more cream cheese and mozzarella in place, it was absolutely delicious. Everyone loved it. This is going to become a regular in my rotation.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Lori! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review and feedback on ingredient adjustments!
Bets says
Can we bake it completely or use air fryer instead of pan searing it at all? Thanks!
Mary says
I’d love to know and I’ve a ninja 15-1. When setting
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Mary! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so it would be hard for me to say. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Bets! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so it would be hard for me to say. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!