Spinach And Tomato-Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
There is no quicker way to elevate a simple roasted chicken breast into a dinner party-worthy meal than by filling it with delicious Italian flavors, and this spinach and sun-dried tomato-stuffed chicken breast recipe is no exception. Decidedly elegant yet deceptively simple, this dish takes only 35 minutes to put together and is bursting with rich flavors.
Chicken breast is a very popular and healthy cut of meat, but it can sometimes be a little lacking in flavor, and can easily end up drying out if it is overcooked. By creating a pocket in the side of the chicken breast and filling it with a simple mixture of sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, spinach, and cheese, the humble chicken breast is transformed into a succulent and super tasty dinner option.
This is a great recipe for quick family meals and dinner party dishes alike, and can be dressed up or down depending on your chosen side dishes. Speaking of side dishes, there are many great flavor pairings for these spinach and tomato-stuffed chicken breasts. Depending on the occasion, recipe developer Jennine Rye recommends a light salad, quinoa and roasted vegetables, or potato wedges and steamed greens as great side dish options for this meal.
Gather the ingredients for this stuffed chicken breast recipe
To make this spinach and tomato-stuffed chicken breast recipe, first you will need to gather the ingredients. You will need sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, Parmesan, basil, chives, cream cheese, chicken breast, olive oil, ground paprika, and salt and pepper.
If it's out of season for fresh herbs, or your local grocery store is out of stock, you can always substitute dried herbs for fresh ones. Just remember to reduce the quantities, as dried herbs are more strongly flavored. Thankfully, it's quite a simple conversion; you will want to swap out 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs for 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
Mix the stuffing
To begin this stuffed chicken breast recipe, you will need to preheat the oven to 400 F. Then, add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, the chopped spinach, the grated Parmesan, the basil, the chives, the cream cheese, and the salt and pepper to a small bowl. Using a spoon, mix everything together until a thick paste has formed. The cream cheese acts as a binding agent to bring all the other ingredients together.
Stuff the chicken breasts
Next, you will need to cut pockets into the sides of the chicken breasts. To do this, use a very sharp knife and carefully push the knife into the side of one chicken breast, moving it around but not allowing it to break through the other side of the breast. Then, divide the filling between the two chicken breasts and fill the pockets until they are full but not overflowing.
Bake and serve the stuffed chicken
Gently place the chicken breasts into a baking dish and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with the paprika, along with the salt and pepper, and then place the baking dish into the warm oven for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken breasts hot and drizzled with any juices that have collected at the bottom of the dish. Any leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped spinach
- 1 ½ tablespoons grated Parmesan
- ½ tablespoon fresh basil
- ½ tablespoon fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 2 large skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Mix together the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped spinach, grated Parmesan, chopped basil, chives, and cream cheese. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
- Carefully slice into the sides of the chicken breasts using a sharp knife, to make large pockets.
- Spoon roughly half of the filling into the pocket of each breast, then gently press to close them.
- Transfer the stuffed chicken breasts into a baking dish and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle over the paprika.
- Bake the chicken breasts for 25 minutes, they are done when the internal temperature reads 165 F.
- Serve right away.
| Calories per Serving | 559 |
| Total Fat | 22.7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6.8 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 268.9 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 3.9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.9 g |
| Sodium | 877.9 mg |
| Protein | 80.7 g |
