Stuffed Chicken Breast Spinach (Printable)
Tender chicken breasts filled with creamy spinach and cheese, baked until juicy and flavorful.
# What's Needed:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Filling
05 - 5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
06 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
07 - 2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
11 - ¼ teaspoon salt
12 - ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
→ For Baking
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine cooked spinach, cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir until fully incorporated.
04 - Pat chicken breasts dry. Using a sharp knife, cut a horizontal pocket along the side of each breast, taking care not to cut through completely.
05 - Season each chicken breast inside and out with salt and ground black pepper.
06 - Fill each pocket evenly with the spinach and cheese filling. Secure with toothpicks if needed.
07 - Place stuffed breasts in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and juices run clear.
08 - Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Remove toothpicks prior to plating.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when really you've got dinner on the table in under an hour
- The creamy spinach filling stays perfectly moist inside while the chicken browns beautifully on the outside
- It's naturally gluten-free and feels fancy enough to serve at a dinner party without stressing about a complicated recipe
02 -
- Patting the chicken dry before cooking is non-negotiable. Wet chicken steams instead of browning, and browning is where flavor lives.
- Don't skip letting the cream cheese soften to room temperature. I learned this the hard way when I tried to mix cold cream cheese straight from the fridge—it clumped and never blended properly.
03 -
- A meat thermometer removes all the guesswork about doneness. Once you start using one, you'll never go back to cutting the chicken open to check.
- If you've got time, let the stuffed chicken breasts sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking. This helps them cook more evenly and keeps the filling from leaking out.