Luscious and cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts are so juicy and remarkably simple. Thanks to the delicious spinach and cream cheese filling, the chicken breasts stay nice and moist. The entire recipe takes about 35 minutes to create a healthy and soul-satisfying dish.
There are three easy ways to make sure chicken breasts don’t dry out. First, brine them. Second, marinate them. And third, stuff them.
That is what we’re doing in this awesome Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe.
Honestly, the breast is not my favorite part of the chicken. It has the least flavor (and you already know how much I adore intense flavor), and it’s the driest— all problems solved with this recipe.
The stuffing keeps the juiciness and tastiness in the chicken instead of letting it all escape. After all, it works with pork chops; why not with chicken breasts?
Easy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
Even the most die-hard spinach haters will love this fantastic recipe. Cheese is the great equalizer and veggie hider.
These spinach stuffed chicken breasts are ridiculously easy and so much better than a restaurant. I couldn’t resist adding my touch with a dash of Creole seasoning.
I’m not into diets. However, a lot of people are, and I get it. This low-carb recipe is perfect for keto. I ruin it by serving it with pasta or baked potatoes, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter is perfect for sauteeing onions to a golden brown.
- Onion adds flavor and, surprisingly, a tad of sweetness. There’s an easy trick to cutting onions.
- Garlic is an aromatic herb related to onions that make this recipe more flavorful. I prefer fresh garlic, but you can used dried, too.
- Worcestershire sauce adds umami and is one of my favorite flavor enhancers. Soy sauce will work if you don’t have it.
- Creole seasoning adds pizzazz and spice to an already awesome recipe. I love the perfect amount of heat, and it’s super easy to make it yourself.
- Nutmeg is a traditional spice in bechamel and other white sauces. I’m not sure why, but I like it.
- Spinach, a highly nutritious dark leafy green that makes you strong like Popeye. 😉
- Salt and pepper are pantry-staple flavor enhancers.
- Cream cheese makes a creamy and soul-satisfying comfort food.
- Parmesan adds flavor and umami.
- Chicken breast is so versatile, and with this great filling, it stays moist and tender.
Alternative Ingredients
Cream cheese – Instead of cream cheese, you can use feta, crumbled goat cheese, and ricotta. A good dairy-free substitute is dairy-free cream cheese or a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast mixed with three ounces of sunflower or cashew butter.
Spinach – Frozen spinach will work, too. Let it thaw, then squeeze out the excess moisture, and proceed as planned. If you don’t have spinach, you can use any dark leafy greens, like chard, collards, mustard greens, or kale.
Chicken – I wouldn’t have a problem trying this filling in a stuffed pork chop. And if you want a vegetarian version, you can layer the filling between slices of sauteed eggplant or zucchini and bake it like lasagna.
Tips & Tricks
- The toothpicks will come out easier if you remove them as soon as the chicken cools just enough to handle.
- Some of the fillings may fall out and turn into tasty pan drippings. Spoon that yummy stuff over the chicken when serving.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, no worries. When the stovetop process is done, transfer the spinach stuffed chicken breasts to a covered casserole dish and continue.
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
In the unlikely case, there are leftovers, you can keep them for up to three days in the fridge or three months in the freezer. Allow frozen Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating
Chicken breast is low-fat, so reheating it can dry it out. You can quickly reheat them at 325℉/163℃ in the oven in a covered baking dish. It usually takes 10-15 minutes.
You can also reheat it in a cast-iron skillet on the stove. Oil the skillet, heat it on low, put the chicken breast in, and cover. Flip at least once, and cook until heated through.
Making Ahead
A great time-saver if making it for a special occasion is to prepare the filling the day before. You can also prepare the chicken breasts the day before and marinate them before stuffing.
Just put them in the fridge, and when you’re ready to cook those babies up, let the chicken and filling come to room temperature for about half an hour, stuff, and cook away.
FAQs
I prefer to cut a pocket in the chicken breast by placing my hand on top of it so I can feel where the knife is. Then I’m careful not to cut all the way through, just deep enough to make a stuffable pocket. Then fill the pocket with the stuffing and close the pocket with toothpicks.
It’s amazing how many people don’t use toothpicks anymore. No problem, the following will work.
– 4″ metal skewers work the same as toothpicks, and they’re reusable.
– Nothing: don’t overstuff, and spoon what little filling falls next to it on the plate.
– Raw spaghetti (make sure it’s thick enough), you can break it into the size you want it. The advantage is you don’t have to remove it before serving.
– Clean paperclips or straight pins
– Turkey trussing pins and kitchen twine
Southerners know all the secrets of tender, juicy chicken. Soaking chicken overnight in yogurt or buttermilk with live culture does a great job of tenderizing.
Another method is soaking the meat in a baking soda solution to raise the pH level on the meat’s surface so it can’t go tough on you. Rub approximately 1 teaspoon of baking soda per pound of chicken breast, let it sit for 15 minutes (longer won’t hurt it), then rinse it off, pat dry, and get cooking.😉
What to Eat with Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
When I make these incredibly delicious chicken breasts, I like to serve them with this Rice Pilaf, a side of pasta and sauteed Brussels sprouts. I also like mashed potatoes and kale salad.
Don’t forget dessert! Light, refreshing chocolate mousse is one of my faves.
More Chicken Breast Recipes
- Oven-Baked Chicken Breast – These chicken breasts are nicely seasoned with Italian herbs and ridiculously quick and easy.
- Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast – Fire up the grill for these mouthwatering chicken breasts marinated in a tasty sauce with Worchestershire, creole seasoning, and Dijon mustard.
- Cajun Chicken Alfredo – Ordinary Alfredo sauce kicked up a couple of notches for a not-so-ordinary one-dish meal.
- Creamy Lemon Garlic Boneless Chicken Breast – For those nights that you want a good home-cooked meal but don’t have the time. You can be sitting at the table with your family in 30 minutes and enjoying this flavorful lemony chicken that is so easy to throw together.
How to Make Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
Make the filling
- Sautee onion and garlic – Melt the butter, then diced onion and garlic. Sauté until it’s soft and translucent. Add the Creole seasoning and stir. (Photos 1-4)
- Add spinach, and cook it until it just wilts. Pour in Worcestershire sauce. (Photos 5 & 6)
- Add cream cheese. After the cream cheese melts, add the parmesan cheese. Mix everything, adjust seasonings to taste. Take it off the heat and allow it cool while you get the chicken ready. (Photos 7-10)
Preheat oven
- Preheat the oven to 375℉/190℃.
Prepare the chicken
- Marinate chicken – Place chicken in a large bowl. Season with salt and Italian and creole seasonings. If you prefer, you can use just salt and pepper for your seasoning or just one herb. (Photo 11)
- Make pocket in chicken – Place chicken on a board or flat surface. Cut a slit or pocket about ¾ quarter of the way through each breast; try not to cut all the way through—season inside of the chicken as desired. (Photo 12)
Stuff the chicken
- Fill the chicken – Divide the spinach mixture between the amount of chicken breast you have on hand. Place the spinach mixture in the prepared chicken breast, pushing it all the way in. (Photos 13)
- Close it up – If desired, use toothpicks to thread chicken breasts near the openings to help secure them. Just push any of the filling that falls out back in. (Photo 14)
Stovetop preparation
- Heat an oven-proof skillet or cast iron over medium heat with about 1-2 tablespoons of oil.
- Pan sear – Using a kitchen tong, carefully add to the cast iron or skillet. Cook chicken on one side for about 3-4 minutes each, until golden. Then flip with tongs and cook for another 3-4. (Photos 15 & 16)
Finish in the oven
- Place the skillet in the oven and cook for about 18-25 minutes, depending on the size of the breast. The chicken is cooked when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 160-165℉/72-74℃. The chicken will continue cooking an additional 5-10 degrees before it cools down.
- Let it rest – Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates, let them rest until you can handle them.
- Finishing touches – Carefully remove and discard the toothpicks. Serve immediately, drizzled with the juices in the skillet.
Watch How To Make It
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Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
Spinach & Cheese Filling
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) minced garlic about 2-3 cloves
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) Creole seasoning
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves about 4 ounces
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) Worcestershire sauce
- 2-4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
The Chicken
- 3-4 boneless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) Italian seasoning optional
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) Creole seasoning optional
- 1-2 tablespoons (14-28 ml) cooking oil
Instructions
The Spinach & Cheese Filling
- Melt the butter, then diced onion and garlic. Sauté until it’s soft and translucent. Stir in the Creole seasoning.
- Add spinach, and cook it until it just wilts. Pour in Worcestershire sauce.
- Add cream cheese. After the cream cheese melts, add the Parmesan cheese. Mix everything, adjust seasonings to taste. Take it off the heat and allow it cool while you get the chicken ready.
The Chicken Breasts
- Preheat the oven to 375℉/190℃.
- Place chicken in a large bowl. Season with salt and Italian and Creole seasonings. If you prefer, you can use just salt and pepper for your seasoning or just one herb.
- Place chicken on a board or flat surface. Cut a slit or pocket about ¾ quarter of the way through each breast; try not to cut all the way through—season inside of the chicken as desired.
- Divide the spinach mixture between the amount of chicken breast you have on hand. Stuff prepared chicken breast with spinach mixture, pushing it all the way in.
- If desired, use toothpicks to thread chicken breasts near the openings to help secure them. Just push any of the filling that falls out back in.
Pan Sear the Chicken Breasts
- Heat an oven-proof skillet or cast iron over medium heat with about 1-2 tablespoons of oil.
- Using a kitchen tong, carefully add to the cast iron or skillet. Cook chicken on one side for about 3-4 minutes each, until golden. Then flip with tongs and cook for another 3-4.
Finish in the Oven
- Place the skillet in the oven and cook for about 18-25 minutes, depending on the size of the breast. The chicken is cooked when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 160-165℉/72-74℃. The chicken will continue cooking an additional 5-10 degrees before it cools down.
- Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates, let them rest until you can handle them.
- Carefully remove and discard the toothpicks. Serve immediately, drizzled with the juices in the skillet.
Tips & Notes:
- The toothpicks will come out easier if you remove them as soon as the chicken cools just enough to handle.
- Some of the fillings may fall out and turn into tasty pan drippings. Spoon that yummy stuff over the chicken when serving.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, no worries. When the stovetop process is done, transfer the stuffed chicken breasts to a covered casserole dish and continue.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Deborah says
Going to make this this weekend. Looks yummy!
Deborah says
I cannot wait to make this recipe! It looks delicious. What is the best way to soften cream cheese. Leave out on counter at least an hour before? Thank you!