Cranberry and Brie Stuffed Chicken

While it may look complicated, this Cranberry and Brie Stuffed Chicken Breast is surprisingly simple to make for a holiday table, date night in or an easy dinner recipe that’s not boring.

Our whole family also loves a spinach stuffed chicken breast.

I will be first to admit that this cranberry and brie stuffed chicken looks more complicated than it is. I get intimidated by “stuffed” recipes myself but in reality they are quick!

My family truly enjoyed every bit of this awesome recipe. Stuffed meat recipes are always a hit though, don’t you agree?! They look so fancy and have multiple layers of flavors.

This idea came to me out of necessity to use up leftover brie from Thanksgiving table. Then I thought sweet dried cranberries and earthy spinach would compliment creamy brie cheese perfectly. And oh how delicious it turned out!

If you are celebrating Holidays in a tight-knit circle, this low carb cranberry stuffed chicken breast recipe can replace a turkey breast roast. I’m pretty sure no one will complain. Especially served up with a big side of Instant Pot mashed potatoes.

Ingredients and Substitutions

You will need these 10 simple ingredients to make cranberry and brie stuffed chicken.

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: 3-4 large chicken breasts or if you can find smaller 6 breasts, it would be perfect. In a pinch, you can use boneless chicken thighs, if they are “chubby”. If they are more skinny, roll the stuffing inside each.
• Brie cheese: Slices of any size and type of brie cheese. You can always freeze leftovers from a dinner party and thaw later to make this chicken recipe. Camembert cheese will work as well.
• Dried cranberries: I use unsweetened dried cranberries but sweetened will work as well.
• Fresh spinach: Chopped. You can also use kale or swiss chard. Frozen, thawed and squeezed spinach will work as well, just cook for less time.
• Fresh onion and garlic: Yellow onion, white onion or red onion. In a pinch, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder can be substituted.
• Dried thyme: If you have leftover fresh thyme, use same amount or to taste.
• Oil for frying: When it comes to chicken recipes with the sauce, I like to use extra virgin olive oil for frying. It elevates the flavor of the entire dish.
• Salt and ground black pepper

How to Make Cranberry and Brie Stuffed Chicken

To make stuffed chicken with brie looks more complicated but is easy in reality. Here is how to do it in 5 simple steps. There is also full recipe card below.

Prep chicken breasts: I had 3 huge chicken breasts that I cut into 6 smaller pieces first. So, I cut each breast in half a bit diagonally to create smaller oval shaped chicken breasts.

Then place chicken breast on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut it lengthwise but not completely through. This technique is called to butterfly the chicken.

Open flat and tenderize a bit. Set aside.

Make stuffing mixture: Now we need to saute garlic and onion first. I like to use large cast iron skillet because then I can bake brie stuffed chicken right in it. But you can also make stuffing in a non-stick skillet and bake in a baking dish after.

Add spinach, cranberries, thyme, salt and pepper, and saute for another minute or until spinach has wilted.

Stuff the chicken: Now is a good time to preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide spinach mixture into 6 piles right in the skillet. In the middle of a butterflied chicken breast, place a slice of brie and 1/6th of the cranberry stuffing on top.

Fold top chicken half on top of the stuffing, tuck in the ends (if possible) and wrap tightly with kitchen twine. You can wrap it around or criss cross like a present, around each breast.

Repeat with remaining thinned chicken breasts. Then season chicken with salt and pepper.

Cook: Now we need to sear chicken in a bit of EVOO for about 3 minutes per side on medium-high heat before baking it in the oven.

If your skillet is oven proof, like cast iron skillet, cover it with aluminum foil or silicone lid. Or transfer stuffed chicken to a baking dish and cover the same way. Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven, let chicken stand for 5 minutes and only then remove the twine.

How Do I Know My Chicken Is Ready?

The best way to know your brie stuffed chicken breasts are ready to eat is to insert an internal read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, not the stuffing. According to USDA, fully cooked poultry is safe to consume when internal temperature is 165 F.

In addition, you can also make a small cut with a paring knife in the chicken and if juices run clear, it’s ready. If you see a little bit of blood, put it back in for 5 minutes or so.

How to Serve It

First of all, allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Then remove the twine carefully.

From there, you can decide whether to serve each person an individual chicken breast. Or you can slice each one and serve on a platter. In any case, spoon delicious pan drippings over it.

Serve while chicken is hot, spooning juices on top, with a side of choice like brown rice, quinoa or Instant Pot baked potatoes. I was concerned brie cheese would melt and leak out but the juices created the most delicious sauce you pour on chicken and a side you serve it with.

Oh boy, this cranberry and brie stuffed chicken was outstanding!

How to Store and Reheat Cranberry Brie Chicken

You can refrigerate leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It keeps well.

Chicken breast is a lean cut of protein so it can be challenging to reheat it without drying out, getting tough or having that reheated chicken smell and taste. But it can be done and this chicken and brie recipe does reheat well.

To reheat, you can do so in the:

• Oven: Place in a baking dish, cover with foil and reheat in preheated oven to 325 F for 10-15 minutes or until hot.
• Microwave: Cover and reheat in 2 minutes intervals until heated through.
• Stovetop: Place in a preheated skillet with a bit of oil, cover and saute until hot. Flip it once.
• Air fryer: Just follow my easy directions on how to reheat chicken breast in air fryer.

FAQs

More Chicken Recipes to Try

• Baked chicken parmesan
• Baked feta chicken
• Garlic butter chicken
• Air fryer chicken breast