Three baked spinach stuffed chicken breasts on a tray.

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast combines tender chicken, creamy cheeses, and fresh spinach for a delicious, easy-to-make meal. Ready in under an hour, it's perfect for family dinners or special occasions.

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Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Servings

This Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast is the kind of easy-but-fancy dinner that makes you look like a kitchen pro—without the effort! Juicy, golden pan-seared chicken is stuffed with a creamy, cheesy spinach filling that keeps every bite ultra-flavorful and tender. No dry chicken here.

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast Ingredients

Labeled flat lay of ingredients for spinach stuffed chicken breast, including raw chicken, cheeses, spinach, and seasonings.

You’ll need:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts,
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
½ cup yellow onion (small diced)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 ounces (approximately 3 cups) fresh baby spinach
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Substitutions and Additions For Baked Stuffed Chicken Breast

Olive Oil: Substitute with avocado oil or canola oil if you prefer.

Smoked Paprika: Regular paprika or even chili powder can be used in place of smoked paprika. You can also add ½ tsp of red pepper flakes if you want your dish to be more spicy.

Yellow Onion: If you don’t have yellow onion, a white or red onion can work as well.

Mozzarella Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese or a blend of Italian cheeses can be a good substitute. You can also try gouda or swiss cheese, or any of your favorite cheeses that melt well.

Parmesan Cheese: Grated pecorino romano or asiago can be used in place of parmesan. These cheeses offer a slightly different but equally tasty flavor.

Minced Garlic: Garlic powder can be used if fresh garlic is not available. Use about half the amount called for in the recipe.

How To Make This Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe

Cream cheese and spinach stuffed chicken is a delicious and impressive dish that is surprisingly easy to prepare. To make everything easier, we’ve written clear instructions and included step-by-step photos so you’ll be able to create a meal that looks gourmet.

STEP ONE: Preheat your oven to 375°F. While the oven is heating up, spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside. This will prevent the chicken from sticking and make cleanup easier.

STEP TWO: Using a sharp paring knife, trim any fatty pieces off the chicken breasts. Lay each chicken breast flat on a cutting board and carefully cut a slit through the center, creating a pocket for the filling. Be cautious not to cut all the way through. Set the prepared chicken breasts aside.

PRO TIP: The secret to cooking stuffed chicken breasts evenly is to make sure they’re relatively the same thickness. Lightly pound your chicken breasts with a mallet if some are a lot thicker than others. Then, carefully cut a slit in the center of each breast, making sure the top and bottom of the ‘pocket’ are the same thickness.

STEP THREE: In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir until well mixed. This seasoning blend will add a delicious flavor to the chicken.

STEP FOUR: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic, cooking for about 1 minute until the onion begins to soften. Add the fresh baby spinach to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted and the onions are translucent. Remove the skillet from heat and let the mixture cool slightly.

STEP FIVE: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, grated parmesan cheese, and the cooled spinach mixture. Use a wooden spoon or large spatula to mix everything together until the ingredients are evenly distributed. This will be the creamy filling for the chicken.

STEP SIX: Using a spoon, fill each chicken breast with a quarter of the spinach and cheese mixture. Gently press the filling into the pocket of the chicken breast. Place each stuffed chicken breast into the prepared baking dish.

STEP SEVEN: Using a pastry brush, coat the tops of each stuffed chicken breast with the olive oil spice mixture, ensuring they are completely covered. This will help the chicken develop a nice crust while baking.

STEP EIGHT: Bake the spinach stuffed chicken breasts in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. The tops should be lightly golden brown, and the filling should be bubbly.

STEP NINE: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest on the counter for 5-10 minutes. This allows the cheese mixture to set and the chicken to cool slightly before serving. Serve while they are still warm, and enjoy!

Troubleshooting

We carefully create each recipe to be easy to make at home. However, we know that ingredients and appliances may vary. Our recipe testers tested this stuffed chicken dinner thoroughly, and compiled their best pieces of advice to guide you:

If you don’t have cooking spray, you can line your pan with parchment paper or a piece of non-stick aluminum foil.
It’s easier to make the pocket in the meat when the chicken is very cold. use a small, sharp knife, and cut slowly.
As much as possible, use fresh ingredients for this recipe. While substitutions are possible, fresh cheese and spinach will make the best filling.
Cook the spinach until the water has evaporated from the pan. This helps ensure your filling mixture won’t be too watery.
Don’t overstuff your chicken breasts. If you have extra filling, save it for topping baked potatoes.
Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness, however, make sure you stick the probe into the meat, not the stuffing.
Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes after baking to allow the filling to set before slicing. This is how you can prevent the filling from running out of the chicken when you cut into them.

Here are some serving suggestions to inspire you.

Classic Dinner: Serve the spinach stuffed chicken breasts as a main dish with roasted vegetables like carrots, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts. If you want to add a starch, baked potatoes or lemon rice make nice additions.

We think a loaf of crusty bread is the perfect complement to the cheesy filling. You can easily make your own Dutch oven bread (no kneading necessary!) and skip the trip to the bakery.

Looking to impress your significant other? This baked stuffed chicken recipe is just what you need to take date night to the next level.

How To Store Stuffed Chicken Breast With Cheese and Spinach

MAKE AHEAD: This recipe can be prepared ahead of time. Assemble the chicken breasts with the filling, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. You can press plastic wrap onto the tops of the chicken to prevent them from drying out.

IN THE FRIDGE: Once cooked, let the chicken breasts cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container or wrapping them indiviually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. They can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing your leftovers. The filling doesn’t thaw well and may become watery. Try to eat these up within a few days. If you want to freeze the pre-cooked stuffed chicken, you can wrap them individually and place them in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag before freezing.

HOW TO REHEAT: To reheat the chicken breasts, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken in a baking dish and cover with foil to prevent drying out. Heat for 20-25 minutes, or until warmed through.

For quicker reheating, place the chicken on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a microwave-safe lid or another plate. Heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, checking halfway through. Adjust the time to be sure you don’t

This Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts recipe provides you with an easy way to make your family or guests a gourmet meal without hassle. Our easy to follow recipe makes creating a restaurant-quality dish at home enjoyable!

Overhead view of a baking dish filled with spinach and cheese stuffed chicken breasts being served.

More Stuffed Dinners You’ll Love

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

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Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast combines tender chicken, creamy cheeses, and fresh spinach for a delicious, easy-to-make meal. Ready in under an hour, it’s perfect for family dinners or special occasions.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings

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Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, approximately 2 pounds – of 4 equally sized pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided (2 tablespoons to make the seasoning blend and 1 tablespoon for sauteing the spinach)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
½ cup yellow onion, small diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 ounces fresh baby spinach, approximately 3 cups
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375* F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Using a sharp paring knife, trim any fatty pieces off of each of the chicken breasts. Lay the trimmed chicken breast flat onto a cutting board and carefully cut a slit through the center of the chicken breast, being careful not to cut all the way through. You want to create a pocket for the filling to be stuffed into. Set aside.
To a small bowl add the olive oil, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir to combine. Set aside.
In a medium skillet, on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, diced yellow onion and minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute to soften the diced onion before adding the fresh baby spinach to the skillet. Cook the vegetables for 2-3 minutes or until all the spinach has wilted and the onions are translucent. Remove from the heat and allow the spinach to cool slightly before adding it to the cheese mixture.
To a large mixing bowl add the cream cheese, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan cheese and cooled sauteed spinach mixture. Using a wooden spoon, or rubber spatula, stir to combine until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Using a spoon, fill one of the chicken breasts with a quarter of the spinach filling mixture. Place the stuffed chicken breast into the prepared 9×13 baking dish. Repeat until all four of the chicken breasts have been stuffed and placed into the baking dish.
Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of each of the stuffed chicken breasts with the olive oil spice mixture being sure to completely cover the tops of each of the stuffed chicken breasts.
Bake the spinach stuffed chicken breasts for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165*F and the top of the chicken is lightly golden brown and the spinach and cheese filling is bubbly.
Remove the spinach stuffed chicken from the oven and allow it to rest on the counter for 5-10 minutes to allow the cheese mixture to set and cool slightly before plating and serving.

Notes

If you don’t have cooking spray, you can line your pan with parchment paper or a piece of non-stick aluminum foil.
It’s easier to make the pocket in the meat when the chicken is very cold. use a small, sharp knife, and cut slowly.
As much as possible, use fresh ingredients for this recipe. While substitutions are possible, fresh cheese and spinach will make the best filling.
Cook the spinach until the water has evaporated from the pan. This helps ensure your filling mixture won’t be too watery.
Don’t overstuff your chicken breasts. If you use smaller chicken breasts and have extra filling, save it for topping baked potatoes.
Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness, however, make sure you stick the probe into the meat, not the stuffing.
Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes after baking to allow the filling to set before slicing. This is how you can prevent the filling from running out of the chicken when you cut them open.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant