I will be first to admit that this chicken stuffed with brie and cranberries looks more complicated than it is. I get intimidated by “stuffed” recipes myself but in reality they are quick.
This recipe was a hit with my family. Stuffed meat recipes are always a hit though, don’t you agree?! They look so fancy and have multiple layers of flavours. This particular recipe 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 brie perfectly.
If you are celebrating Holidays in a tight knit circle, this stuffed chicken can replace a turkey. I’m pretty sure no one will complain.:)
How to Make Chicken Stuffed with Brie, Spinach and Cranberries
I had 2 huge chicken breasts that I cut into 6 tenders. Cut each tender lengthwise but not through. Open flat and tenderize a bit. Set aside.
Preheat large non-stick skillet on low-medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic and onion, saute until translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add spinach, cranberries, thyme, salt and pepper; saute for another minute. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Divide spinach mixture into 6 piles. In the middle of a flat open chicken tender, place a slice of brie and 1/6th spinach stuffing next to it.
Fold in half, tuck in the ends (if possible) and wrap tightly with kitchen twine. Repeat with remaining chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Return skillet to medium heat and swirl remaining 1 tsp of oil.
Add stuffed chicken and sear for about 3 minutes per side. If your skillet is oven proof cover it or transfer chicken to a baking dish (and cover), and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let chicken stand 5 minutes and remove the twine. Serve hot with a side of choice (brown rice, quinoa, potatoes etc.) spooning juices on top. 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 chicken with.
Man, this brie stuffed chicken was outstanding!
Chicken Stuffed with Brie, Spinach & Cranberries
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts boneless & skinless
- 5 oz Brie cheese cut into 6 long slices
- 1 small onion minced
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 2 tsp coconut or avocado oil divided
- 6 oz spinach chopped
- 1/2 cup cranberries dried (I used sweetened)
- 1/2 tsp thyme dried
- 1/2 tsp himalayan pink salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut chicken into 6 tenders. Slice each tender lengthwise in the middle but not through. Open flat and tenderize a bit. Set aside.
- Preheat large non-stick skillet on low-medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic and onion, saute until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add spinach, cranberries, thyme, salt and pepper; saute for another minute. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Divide spinach mixture into 6 piles. In the middle of a flat open chicken tender, place a slice of brie and 1/6th spinach stuffing next to it. Fold in half, tuck in the ends (if possible) and wrap tightly with kitchen twine. Repeat with remaining chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Return skillet to medium heat and swirl remaining 1 tsp of oil. Add stuffed chicken and sear for about 3 minutes per side. If your skillet is oven proof (I use green pan) cover it or transfer chicken to a baking dish (and cover), and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, let chicken stand 5 minutes and remove the twine. Serve hot with a side of choice (brown rice, quinoa, potatoes etc.) spooning juices on top.
Store: Keep refrigerated in a glass airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
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Oh my goodness! This recipe looks amazing… have 2 lbs chicken breast in the freezer & most all ingredients on hand. I WILL be making soon – after I go to store & buy the Brie!!!
And, I’m assuming this WILL be a regular on our menu – especially after my husband taste it! 😉
Here’s wishing you & your family a Merry Christmas & a Happy/Prosperous New Year!!
Hi Tricia! Merry Christmas to you and your family as well. Please let me know what you think of the chicken recipe once you make it.
So good! We had Angel hair pasta with it.
Yum!
So amazing and tasty!!!
Hello Olena, Instead of chicken, I opted for turkey (the only variance with your ingredients). We wanted to let you know that we found it “delicious”….we were almost licking our fingers after we finished!! What an amazing combination of the ingredients!! we made 6 pieces and we will eat the 2 leftover pieces tonight….looking forward to it!!
Thank you!!!!
Nouhade
Hi Nouhade! Thank you so much for the positive feedback!
OMG. we did this recipe and we almost licked the plates….amazing. thank you. I took pictures just so we can reminisce until next time…
Haha, your comment made my day Ana!
I know it taste great….I made it to serve in 3 hrs from now.
I froze my brie to keep it from oozing, but it did….Is that a sauce to serve over?
I think it might be 🙂
Brow will ooze no matter what at some point. Yes delicious sauce. Enjoy!
I usually don’t care too much for chicken, I’m more of a red meat kind of a girl, but this has got to be my new favourite dinner. This is restaurant quality dining! This is probably the 6th recipe of yours I’ve tried & I find them all so easy to prepare & I’m so smug that I’m eating so healthily!
I added some chopped asparagus stalks to the dish & an extra knob of butter under the chicken prior to baking! Superb – I would award this 10 stars if it were possible.
Yay! I agree. I think it’s so easy to make restaurant quality mains at home. See why we don’t eat out except sushi?! Try my baked chicken with peppers and mushrooms next. Similar.
This recipe is so easy and tastes like you worked so hard. My teenagers LOVE this recipe also. It is a go to for me.
I should change my recipe’s description to yours “This recipe is so easy and tastes like you worked so hard”. Thanks, Gina!
Love this recipe… I pour some Marsala cooking wine over it when I bake it in the oven.
That is a great idea! I have never tried Marsala but I really should.
LOVED IT! Made it for the Fam. added a pkg of turkey gravy mix to the pan after the chicken was cooked and used to cover the slices..
Kisses and hugs so happy it worked for you. 🙂
Hi Olena! My brother and I are health fanactics, so imagine the joy on our face when we came across your website! This recipe was just as good as it looks! The cheese made the most delicious sauce, as you mentioned. Today I’m making it again, it’s my go-to recipe for a low carb/high protein meal.
We followed the recipe as written, except I just seasoned the chicken with a bit more (salt, black pepper, basil, cayenne) I use cayenne in everything, lol. We didn’t have kitchen twine so we were creative and used toothpicks lol, and it held perfectly fine.
I’ve also tried the Thai turkey meatballs and Cheeseburger quinoa casserole, can’t wait to try your other recipes!
Hi Jennifer. That is awesome! Yes, I have used toothpicks before. You add cayenne, I add garlic. To everything.:) Enjoy and let me know what else you make.:)
I made this on Saturday as an early valentines dinner. I recenty found out I’m pregnant and at 38 this unexpected surprise is kicking my butt and I don’t much feel like cooking……at all. Somehow I got inspired. This turned out really good….super moist and delicious. I served it with a barley risotto and butternut squash. Amazing and I ate the left overs this morning!
Congratulations, Melissa! That is beautiful! As older I get the more I realize how each pregnancy is a gift and what seems so hard at time when it begins, seems like a distant memory when you have another human being related to you. I secretly wish it happened to me at 38 but considering my husband is 12 years older we are done.
Is it your 1st one? Take care of yourself.:)
Ha! Didn’t think you would actually make my cooky answer to you and embarrass myself! I said that I had some ideas. My problem is that I never get any farther than that, Olena. And while I love I do love to cook, I come here for the already great recipes because I am not talented like you (and my father was) in naturally knowing what flavors match what ingredients.
My ideals? Well, I love hot artichoke dip from my old not-clean eating days. It wasn’t organic and it was very high in fat and calories. I don’t even know if that could that could make it reasonable it that it would taste right in chicken. The other thing is that we kids grew up with a father who was an expert in mushrooms. He took all seven of us, and my mom, deep into the woods to scour for mushrooms! I love wild mushrooms. I love any mushrooms, but would never trust my own self to choose anything but the Morels without his expert eye.
I got off teach! Sorry. I was thinking a mushroom stuffing with a cooked hearty grain? Something different from rice…but I am not a fan of quinoa. (I know it is very healthy and popular!) but I am afraid of the grains too! I am a cooking chicken! (Pun intended)
So there are my downfalls. And more! Im not taking up the space here.
Actually artichokes go really well with chicken. I have a chicken artichoke recipe. It is possible to make it healthier and I have it on my list of recipes to post before Christmas if I get there.
I also grew up picking wild mushrooms in Ukraine but here I’m a bit afraid because they are different here. I guess I could learn but where do I find time for everything?!
About grains…here is a fair video, in my opinion, about grains https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO3cIrNEuIc
Hello Olena! Just wanted to check back and say we loved the chicken! Just about the most difficult part was tying it up! Really, not so hard after all, but tastes so good, like a special meal served to company! Thank-you! I am already thinking about other things that could go inside there!
Glad to hear that! What are your ideas for stuffing? Inspire me.:) Tying will be much easier from now on.
You had me at brie! Love, love, love stuffed chicken, such a great way to add some fun and variety to dinner! This one sounds awesome-I bet the flavors taste great together!
Thanks, Michelle.:)
The chicken looks completely out of the question decadent and impossibly high in calories and fat. Then we see the reality and understand that it’s actually healthy! Oh! My! Goodness! I am going to make this! (Just as soon as I buy some chicken) It does look a bit intimidating though, but totally worth the effort! I have never made anything that requires kitchen string that wasn’t a DYI craft,
Just the same, I am anxious to try this recipe. Your family is very lucky Olena, for new and fun dishes to sample several times a week! I need some sort of ‘push’ to force me out of my comfort zone too!
Your recipes are very enticing, and that is often just the push that I need! This is probably on the menu for this week! What would you suggest as a side dish with this? Thank-you!
It is very simple, Kit! Any stuffed meat/fish recipe looks VERY complex but in reality it is not. In Ukraine, we stuffed many things to extend food. My grandma used to make stuffed potato patties, chicken kiev (btw American version is totally different), chicken with cheese.
My family definitely eats well and they do appreciate it. We often joke my boys will have a hard time if they marry someone who can’t cook. I always say as long as she is a nice girl and willing to learn, we will teach her to cook.:)
I served this chicken with quinoa. You can also make brown rice or mashed potatoes, faux mashed potatoes or quinoa salad/any salad. Let me know how you like it.:)