Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

5 from 1 vote

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast combines juicy chicken with a creamy, cheesy broccoli filling, baked to perfection. A recipe crafted by real chefs and food testers to ensure it cooks to restaurant-quality in your home kitchen.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 452kcal

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, approximately 1½ to 1¾ pounds
1¼ cups small diced frozen broccoli florets, thawed and stems removed
1½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ teaspoon light brown sugar
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Using a small, sharp paring knife, cut a slit lengthwise into the center of one of the boneless skinless chicken breasts. Be sure not to go all the way through and cut the chicken breast in half as you want to create a “pocket” to add the filling. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the small diced broccoli florets, shredded cheddar cheese, and softened cream cheese with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined.
Evenly divide the broccoli mixture between each of the four chicken breasts. Using a spoon, gently stuff the filling into the opening (pocket) of each chicken breast. You can use a toothpick to secure the top and bottom of the filled chicken breast together so that the filling doesn’t come out as the chicken is baking. Be sure to remove any toothpicks used before serving.
Once the chicken breasts are stuffed and secured with toothpicks if needed, then place them into the prepared 9x13 baking dish.
In a small bowl, stir together the light brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and ground thyme to create a seasoning blend.
Evenly sprinkle the seasoning blend over the top and sides of all four chicken breasts.
Using a pastry brush, evenly coat the entire top and sides of each chicken breast with olive oil. Try not to wipe off all the seasoning when brushing on the olive oil.
Place the 9x13 baking dish, with the broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken, onto the center rack of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. You can check the chicken during the last 10-15 minutes of baking time to see if it is getting too dark, and lightly cover it with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent the spices from burning on the top of the chicken. The chicken should be golden in color, the cheese should be hot and bubbly, and the thickest part of the chicken should be at an internal temperature of 165°F. Be sure that your meat thermometer is in the actual chicken and not in the stuffing in order to get the most accurate temperature reading.
Allow the broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken to rest in the baking dish 3-5 minutes before removing any toothpicks that may have been used to secure the chicken before serving.

Notes

You can lightly pound the chicken breasts with a meat mallet to a more even thickness before cutting the pocket.
It's important to dry off the broccoli pieces, or the filling can end up watery. Pat them well with paper towels before adding them to the filling.
If you like your seasoning to be a bit more flavorful, you can add more salt and pepper, or other seasonings if you prefer. Just taste it before you stuff your chicken and adjust to your desired taste.
The seasoning mixture will stick best to the outside of the stuffed chicken breasts if they're dry. Pat them dry with paper towels if necessary, then sprinkle the seasoning.
If your chicken begins looking too dry, brush it with additional olive oil throughout the baking time as necessary.
If the seasoning starts to look like it's getting too dark, just lay a piece of foil lightly over the top (you don't have to seal it over the pan) to shield it from the heat.

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