October 23, 2023
Review RecipeStuffed Chicken Breast in Oven
Tender chicken stuffed with cheesy vegetable filling make these stuffed chicken breasts a fantastic option for both fancy and casual dinner entrees.
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Table of Contents
- Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe Ingredients
- Stuffed Chicken Breasts Substitutions and Additions
- How to make Stuffed Chicken Breast
- What to serve with Stuffed Chicken Breast
- How to store this recipe for Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Why we love Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe FAQs
- MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- JUMP TO RECIPE
This stuffed chicken breast recipe is bursting with veggies and cheese surrounded by tender, juicy chicken. Searing the chicken first locks in the moisture, and then baking it produces a delicious dish full of creamy melted cheese and fresh and flavorful vegetables.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy chicken for your entree. Try our creamy chicken and asparagus and chicken and dumplings for two solid choices for an easy chicken dinner.
Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped broccoli florets (steamed and cooled) (about ½ head of fresh broccoli)
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Stuffed Chicken Breasts Substitutions and Additions
CHEESE: I like to use sharp cheddar cheese, but you can substitute any hard or semi-soft cheese that you like into this recipe. A sprinkle of parmesan cheese or feta cheese in addition to the cheddar cheese adds a tangy twist while mozzarella cheese could make this extra ooey-gooey.
BROCCOLI: If you’re not a fan of broccoli, you can use an equal amount of finely chopped cauliflower in this recipe.
VEGGIES: You could also add other veggies to your stuffing, such as finely chopped mushrooms or fresh spinach. If you don’t like red peppers, you can always replace them with green peppers or another vegetable as well.
MEAT: Add cooked bacon or prosciutto for a meaty addition to your dish.
How to make Stuffed Chicken Breast
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
STEP TWO: With a sharp knife, cut a horizontal slice in each of the chicken breasts to form a little pocket inside of the chicken for the filling. Take care to cut evenly and not all the way through. You can use your fingers to gently open up the pocket.
STEP THREE: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Use this mixture to season chicken on both sides as well as into the pocket you just cut.
STEP FOUR: In a medium bowl, mix together the broccoli florets, red pepper, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.
PRO TIP
Make sure that you cut the broccoli nice and small. This will ensure that you can fit it into the chicken breast and that everything cooks evenly.
STEP FIVE: Divide the filling mixture evenly between the 4 chicken breasts and spoon the filling ingredients into the pockets of the chicken breasts. If the chicken breast is really full, then you can secure the chicken breasts with a couple of toothpicks. This assures that all your filling stays inside the chicken while cooking.
PRO TIP
I find that the filling stays in the chicken breasts if I pack it in quite tight. If you’re worried about it falling out, you can use toothpicks to secure the opening.
STEP SIX: In an oven-safe skillet, heat the butter and olive oil on the stovetop over medium heat.
PRO TIP
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet (a cast iron skillet works great), simply sear each stuffed breast in the skillet you have, then transfer them to a baking dish to put them in the oven. Make sure that if you transfer to a baking dish that you pour all of your pan drippings into the casserole dish prior to finishing baking in the oven.
STEP SEVEN: Add the chicken breasts to the hot skillet and sear on each side of the chicken breast for about 4 minutes or until golden brown.
STEP EIGHT: Remove the skillet from the stovetop, cover with a lid or aluminum foil and place it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
STEP NINE: Plate each cooked stuffed chicken breast and pour the drippings from the pan over the top of the chicken.
PRO TIP
Be sure to remove the toothpicks before serving.
What to serve with Stuffed Chicken Breast
This chicken entree is perfectly paired with mashed potatoes and green beans or a green salad. These simple chicken breasts (or try our grilled chicken breasts) are an easy weeknight dinner but also fancy enough to serve for company.
MORE CHICKEN RECIPES
How to store this recipe for Stuffed Chicken Breast
IN THE FRIDGE: You can keep this baked stuffed chicken breast in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
IN THE FREEZER: If you would like to freeze leftovers, allow them to cool completely in the refrigerator before placing them in a freezer-safe container or large plastic freezer storage bag and storing them in the freezer. This chicken can be stored frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Why we love Stuffed Chicken Breasts
This chicken recipe boasts juicy chicken breasts stuffed with cheesy goodness. This recipe is a great way to sneak in plenty of veggies, and even picky eaters will love this delicious dish.
Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe FAQs
How do you keep the chicken tender and juicy and not dry out?
A quick sear will lock in additional moisture and produce tender chicken breasts.
Can I use chicken thighs in this broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken breast recipe?
Since chicken thighs are smaller, they would be harder to stuff, but you could stuff chicken thighs if you want. You would have to watch the cooking time and adjust for the smaller size of the thighs.
Is it safe to put toothpicks in the oven?
Toothpicks are perfectly safe to put in the oven to hold your chicken together. An alternative is to use small sections of dried spaghetti to hold the chicken closed.
What are the best cheeses to stuff cheese stuffed chicken breasts with?
If you don’t want to use cheddar cheese that this recipe calls for, you could use mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta, or feta for great alternatives.
How long do you bake stuffed chicken breast?
You will want to bake the stuffed chicken breast for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
What temperature should a stuffed chicken be when cooked?
The internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Chicken Marsala
- Cast Iron Banana Bread
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- Creamy Chicken and Asparagus
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Baked Stuffed Chicken Breast
Tender chicken stuffed with cheesy vegetable filling make these stuffed chicken breasts a fantastic option for both fancy and casual dinner entrees.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups broccoli florets finely chopped, steamed, and cooled (about ½ head of fresh broccoli)
- 1 small red bell pepper finely diced
- 1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut a horizontal slice in each of the chicken breasts to form a pocket for the filling. Take care to cut evenly and not all the way through. You can use your fingers to gently open up the pocket.
- In a small bowl whisk together the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Use this mixture to season the chicken on both sides as well as into the pocket you just cut.
- In a medium bowl mix together the broccoli florets, red pepper, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.
- Divide the filling mixture evenly between the 4 chicken breasts. Spoon the filling mixture into the pockets of the chicken breasts. If the chicken breast is really full then you can secure the chicken breasts with a couple of toothpicks. This assures that all your filling stays inside the chicken while cooking.
- In an oven-safe skillet, heat the butter and olive oil on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and sear on each side for about 4 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the skillet from the stovetop, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and place it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and a meat thermometer reads 165°F.
- Plate the chicken and pour the drippings from the pan over the top of the chicken. Be sure to remove the toothpicks prior to serving.
Notes
PRO TIP: Make sure that you cut the broccoli nice and small. This will ensure that you can fit it into the chicken breast and that everything cooks evenly.
PRO TIP: I find that the filling stays in the chicken breasts if I pack it in quite tight. If you’re worried about it falling out, you can use toothpicks to secure the opening.
PRO TIP: If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet (a Cast Iron skillet works great), simply sear each stuffed breast in the skillet you have, then transfer them to a baking dish to put them in the oven. Make sure that if you transfer to a baking dish that you pour all of your pan drippings into the casserole dish prior to finishing baking in the oven.
PRO TIP: Be sure to remove the toothpicks before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 618kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 219mg | Sodium: 853mg | Potassium: 1086mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1762IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 370mg | Iron: 2mg
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Comments
Gloria says
My guys LOVE this!