Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
This hearty stuffed chicken recipe is easier than you’d think yet always completely impressive. It includes vibrant Mediterranean cuisine inspired ingredients that will leave you craving more. It’s brimming with spinach and includes so many other satisfying flavors to compliment it. The feta and sun dried tomatoes are two key components here that add so much to the dish. The chicken breasts are carved with a deep pocket in each is generously filled with this fresh, complexly flavorful mixture. From there it’s pan seared for a beautiful golden brown finish and baked off in the oven to cook it all the way through. Serve it with the little bit of drippings in the pan and if you want more just add a splash of chicken broth and a few dabs of butter for a quick, savory pan sauce.
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe Ingredients
Baby spinach: Full grown spinach will work as well just has a slightly different flavor. Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Chicken thighs will not work for this recipe, they aren’t even enough or large enough. Feta: If you’d like you can just use 3/4 cup feta and omit the mozzarella. Sun dried tomatoes: Use the ones packed in oil and herbs in a jar, not the dried in a pouch. Fresh basil: Dried basil works as well. Dried oregano: If you have fresh on hand you could use that just use 2 tsp chopped. Garlic: The flavor of fresh garlic is best here, I don’t recommend substituting dried. Red pepper flakes: If you don’t want a kick of heat then just omit these, if you want it spicier then double the amount. Olive oil: Just use regular refined olive oil not extra virgin since it’s for high heat cooking. Salt and black pepper: Season the exterior with a fair amount of both, for the filling you want need much due to the salty cheeses.
How to Make and Cook Stuffed Chicken
Here is a brief overview of the process to make the stuffed chicken, see below for the full recipe directions.
How to Serve Stuffed Chicken Breasts
These can be served whole for 4 larger servings. Halves are also another good option to make the dish go further (use 8 or even 9 oz chicken breasts) then slice into halves after baking for 8 servings. Or serve as slices. Let chicken breasts cool for about 10 minutes then cut into even slices and align on a platter. This will yield about 6 servings.
How long to bake stuffed chicken breasts?
Stuffed chicken should be pan seared before it’s baked for a golden brown exterior as the oven alone won’t accomplish this. This will take about 6 minutes first. The 7 to 8 oz stuffed chicken breasts will take about 12 to 16 minutes to bake at 400 °F if par-cooked.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes frozen spinach will work fine as well, use a slightly larger weight since some of it will be lost upon thawing. Thaw completely before using in the recipe and dry.s
What to serve with stuffed chicken breasts? I recommend serving with:
Lemon Orzo or Lemon Couscous Garlic Butter Rice Garlic Mashed Potatoes Spinach Salad Dinner Rolls
More Flavorful Recipes to Try
Baked Feta Pasta BLT Chicken Chicken Florentine Marry Me Chicken Spinach Artichoke Chicken
