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close up shot of sun dried tomato stuffed chicken in a skillet with tomato slices and spinach
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5 from 1 vote

Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken

Tender sun dried tomato stuffed chicken is a delicious entree stuffed full of cheese and veggies. 
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Recipe
Servings: 4
Calories: 545kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless (8-ounces each)
  • ¼ cup kosher salt
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 cup baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup sundried tomatoes, in olive oil with herbs
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

Instructions

  • Place chicken breasts in a large bowl and add kosher salt. Fill the bowl with water to cover chicken breasts and stir to dissolve the salt. Allow the chicken to sit in the “brine” for at least 30 minutes.
  • Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Slice a slit into the side of each chicken breast, being careful not to slice the chicken all the way through.
  • Divide the cream cheese, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella between the chicken breasts and layer the ingredients inside (the order of layering isn’t important).
  • Use a toothpick to close up and hold each stuffed chicken breast together. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken, browning for several minutes on each side. You may need to brown the chicken in batches so that there is space between the chicken while browning. Do not overcrowd. When the pieces are browned, remove them to a plate to fit the remaining pieces in the pan.
  • Return all of the chicken to the skillet. Sprinkle grape tomatoes over the chicken.
  • Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through and registers 165°F.
  • Remove from the oven and allow chicken breasts to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • I used larger than average chicken breasts which makes it easier to slice them and stuff them. Keep an eye for nice thick chicken breasts that are on the larger side when shopping for this recipe.
  • The brine is a simple salt/water brine. Use kosher salt, which is coarser than sea salt or table salt. This step is optional but helps the chicken retain moisture and flavor while cooking.
  • 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, use the toothpicks to secure the opening.
  • 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 sprayed with nonstick cooking spray 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.
  • The internal temperature of the chicken should register 165°F on a meat thermometer. Be sure to check the temperature of the chicken and the filling to determine doneness.
Derived from: https://www.yammiesnoshery.com/2015/05/sun-dried-tomato-spinach-and-cheese.html

Nutrition

Calories: 545kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 198mg | Sodium: 7935mg | Potassium: 1503mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1773IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 212mg | Iron: 3mg