Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast is ready in 30 minutes and is a family favorite! It is a quick weeknight meal or effortless fancy main dish!
Another simple yet impressive ‘stuffed’ recipe we love is this cranberry and brie stuffed chicken.
Table of Contents
Spinach stuffed chicken breast looks impressive but is so easy! Your family will love it especially if they love a good healthy spinach dip. It may taste a bit like it!
Tender juicy chicken filled to the brim with loads of spinach and cream cheese with just the right amount of heat from the red pepper flakes!
Serve with Instant Pot mashed potatoes, pour some juices on top and whip up easy creamy cucumber salad on a side.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Cheese stuffed chicken always presents beautifully, even when the filling starts to come out. That’s when some of the exposed cheese gets all brown, crispy and delicious.
That’s what I love about these 3 ingredient Parmesan mushrooms and a bit more elaborated stuffed mushrooms!
With only 4 grams of carbs per serving, this low carb healthy dinner is all done in one skillet. Which means super easy cleanup. Perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients for Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
You will be amazed at the simplicity of these ingredients. Chicken, cheese and spinach, come together for a wholesome cheese and spinach stuffed chicken.
- Boneless and skinless chicken breasts: Choose evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same time.
- Baby spinach: I use organic baby spinach, see notes below on tips for how to use frozen spinach.
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese adds a lot of taste when combined with creamy cream cheese and grated garlic.
- Mayo: I used just a touch of avocado oil mayo for the umph.
- Seasoning: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Oil for frying.
How to Make Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
Chicken breast with spinach always turns out juicy because of the moisture from the cheese filling!
Mix the filling: Grab a bowl and combine the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, mayo, spinach, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and red pepper flakes. Stir with a fork until well combined.
Refrigerate it while you are prepping the chicken, so cream cheese doesn’t melt too much when frying.
Prep the chicken: In order to stuff chicken, you’ll need to make a pocket. With a sharp filet knife, slice each chicken breast in half but not through, leaving about an inch of flesh intact.
If you unfold it, it looks like a heart.
Season the chicken: Mix smoked paprika, garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle on both sides of chicken breasts.
Stuff it: Stuff each pocket with 1/4th of the filling. You can secure the openings with a toothpick to prevent the filling from falling out when pan frying chicken breast. I did not. Some will inevitably fall out, but that’s OK!
Cook stuffed chicken breasts: Preheat cast iron skillet, add generous amount of olive oil and add chicken breasts.
You want to sear them on one side for 5 minutes, then flip and sear on the other side for another 5 minutes.
At the end, grab a lid, reduce heat to low and cook for another 5 minutes or so to finish cooking the meat inside.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Frozen spinach: Replace fresh spinach with 1/2 cup thawed and well squeezed previously frozen spinach. No need to cook it.
- Leftover spinach dip: Use pre-made healthy spinach dip or any store-bought spinach dip leftovers after the party for the stuffing.
- Soften the cream cheese: An hour or so is enough but softening it will make mixing so much easier. And since we are talking about the cheese, replace Parmesan with shredded smoked Gouda. So good, I tried!
- Don’t overcook your chicken: Chicken is ready when internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. You can either invest in a thermometer or cut into the middle and if juices are clear, chicken is ready.
- If chicken breasts are very thin: You can either cook them on each side, top them with stuffing, and finish cooking covered. Just like this baked chicken and peppers. Or butterfly them and make chicken rolls secured with kitchen twine.
- Chicken tenders: Some large chicken breasts will have chicken tenders attached. Remove them and quickly make air fryer chicken tenders.
How to Store and Reheat
- Store: Once the chicken has cooled, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze: These stuffed chicken breasts freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat this chicken without over drying is to pop it under the broiler. Not too close and keep an eye on it, about 3-4 minutes per side. This way chicken doesn’t dry out, gets nice crust and heats through.
FAQs
Yes. Bake in preheated 375 degrees F oven uncovered for about 25-30 minutes.
While it’s possible, chicken thighs are harder to keep the filling in. But it would work!
Yes! Stuff your chicken, store covered 2-3 days until ready to cook then proceed with recipe.
Serve over pasta with a side of baked asparagus recipe or spinach salad.
More Chicken Breast Recipes to Try
- Grilled chicken breast
- Air fryer chicken breast
- Chicken with zucchini and tomatoes
- Chicken spinach pasta
- Garlic butter baked chicken breast
- Baked feta chicken
You may also love to browse these 65 healthy chicken recipes.
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken breasts boneless & skinless
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt divided
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tbsp mayo
- 1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves grated
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp oil for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, mayo, spinach, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and red pepper flakes. Stir with a fork until well combined. Refrigerate.
- In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Stir with a fork and set aside.
- With a sharp filet knife, slice each chicken breast in half but not through, creating a pocket. If you unfold it, it looks like a heart. Sprinkle with seasonings from previous step on both sides.
- Stuff each breast with spinach mixture. You can secure it with a toothpick.
- Preheat cast iron skillet on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat. Add stuffed chicken breasts and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully flip, reduce heat to low and cook for another 5 minutes. Then cover with a lid and cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Serve warm or cold with juices from the bottom of the pan.
Notes
- Store and reheat: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Simmer with a splash of broth, in a skillet, on low while covered for 5-10 minutes.
- Freeze: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as per instructions above.
- Frozen spinach: Replace fresh spinach with 1/2 cup thawed and well squeezed previously frozen spinach.
I’d like to try this. Do you have any tips for how to make it in an instant pot or air fryer, or even baking in an oven, instead? I have a really hard time evenly cooking whole parts of chicken on the stovetop, and I’d like to forego a lot of the necessary oil. I understand if it can’t, I just figured I’d ask. I hope you and your family have a merry Christmas!
Sure, you can! Pan sear stuffed breasts for 3 mins per side, then bake at 400 F for 18-20 mins. Happy Holidays to you as well!
Stuffed chicken breast is such an impressive looking dish – definitely wowed the hubs!