This recipe for spinach-stuffed chicken breast with cream cheese is easy to make and so delicious! The meat is tender and the filling oozy and comforting, a real family favorite.
Looking for a quick, tasty, and healthy dinner idea tonight? Try our spinach and cream cheese stuffed chicken. It’s easy to make, yet it looks rather fancy, it’s juicy and so full of flavor. Not to mention rather healthy, low-carb, and keto, if you are into that.
Chicken breast for dinner is always a good idea for us! Cast-iron Chicken Breast, Baked BBQ Chicken, Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer, or a simple Chicken and Potato Soup, anything goes! These cuts are versatile, they are always something you will find in my freezer, are super easy and fast to cook, and they always taste great.
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Ingredients
- Chicken breast pieces weighing between 180 g/ 6.5 oz and 250 g/ 9 oz.
- I don’t change the amounts of ingredients needed for the filling according to the size of the breast; I think that would be too much trouble. If the meat pieces are small, I might have a couple of tablespoons left over. That’s fine with me; the filling tastes great as a dip or bread spread.
- Fresh spinach: About 250 g/ 9 fresh.
- Frozen: Substitute fresh with about 125 g/ 4.5 oz frozen spinach. In this case, let it thaw completely (in a sieve), and squeeze very well to remove the water before adding to the cheese mixture.
- Cream cheese: A small amount. It is preferable to use block-style cream cheese, cold and sturdy.
- You can also use cream cheese from a container, but keep in mind that this sort is creamier and softer. In this case, you should chill the filling very well before stuffing the meat portions. The stuffing process will be slightly messier as the filling will be softer. What you should not use is whipped cream cheese or another soft spread.
- Feta cheese: The combination of cream cheese and feta is delicious; feta adds saltiness/ heartiness to the otherwise mild mixture.
- You can substitute feta with another sort of stronger-tasting cheese, try grated Cheddar, Gouda, or Parmesan for instance.
How to make stuffed spinach chicken?
- Step #1: Sautee the spinach. If using frozen spinach, let it thaw completely and squeeze well.
- Step #2: Mix the filling ingredients.
- Step #3: Make slits into the breasts taking care not to cut all the way through; cut about ¾ way into the meat using a sharp knife. Season well.
- Step #4: Divide the filling into 4 equal portions (eyeballing is fine). Stuff each breast. Secure with a toothpick. Don’t forget to remove the toothpicks before serving or warn the people eating that they must remove them themselves.
- Step #5: Bake in the preheated oven at 220 degrees Celsius/ 430 degrees Fahrenheit until the internal temperature reaches 74 degrees Celsius/ 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Small pieces will need about 20 minutes, while larger ones will need about 25 minutes. The best way to check is with a meat thermometer (Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). This way, you can be sure that the spinach stuffed chicken breast is cooked through without being overcooked.
Make ahead
Cut the chicken and keep it in an airtight container until ready to fill. Make the filling and keep it refrigerated as well. Fill, secure, and bake when ready to serve.
You can also prepare everything. Place the stuffed breasts in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Remove the plastic wrap and bake as instructed.
Can you reheat the stuffed chicken?
Chicken breast is usually best served immediately, reheating tends to make it a bit dry. In this case, the cream cheese filling helps against the drying out of the meat. Reheat in the oven at about 165 degrees Celsius/ 325 degrees Fahrenheit until pipping hot, about 10-15 minutes.
What to serve with it?
A simple salad with vinaigrette or yogurt dressing is perfect. Buttered Peas or Buttered Vegetables, French-Style Green Beans, roasted broccoli, or cauliflower are great as well.
If you don’t care about the low-carb issue, serve with boiled or Cast-Iron Skillet Potatoes, rice, or pasta. I also adore this cheesy spinach-stuffed chicken breast served over Romanian polenta. Polenta, cheese, and spinach are always perfect together!
More chicken breast recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast (No Breading)
- Dutch Oven Chicken Breast
- Breaded Chicken without Egg
- Gochujang Chicken Breast
- Easy Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken
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Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts Note 1
- 1 small onion
- 3 garlic cloves divided
- 250 g/ 8.8 fresh spinach Note 2
- 100 g/ 3.5 oz cream cheese Note 3
- 100 g/ 3.5 oz feta cheese Note 4
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes to taste
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius/ 430 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly brush or spray a baking dish with olive oil.
Spinach:
- Finely chop the onion and two of the garlic cloves. Wash the spinach in a sieve, shake lightly, but don’t dry it, chop it roughly.
- Saute: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a saucepan. Sauté the onion and the garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add spinach and let it wilt.
- Remove from the pan and let cool completely (spread it on a larger plate, so that it cools faster).
- If using frozen spinach, let thaw completely and squeeze very well with your hands to remove the excess water. In this case, leave out the cooking (including the onion) and only add the raw grated garlic clove to the filling.
Chicken:
- Make slits into the chicken breasts taking care not to cut all the way through, only about ¾ way into the meat using a sharp knife.
- Brush or rub the meat with the remaining oil. Mix the seasoning and season the chicken generously on the outside and the inside.
Filling:
- Combine cream cheese, cold spinach, crumbled feta, grated garlic and seasoning in small bowl. Mash with a fork until well combined.
Stuff:
- Divide the filling into 4 equal portions (eyeballing is fine) and stuff each chicken breast.
- Secure with a toothpick. Don’t forget to remove the toothpicks before serving.
- Bake until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 74 degrees Celsius/ 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Chicken breast weighing around 180 g/ 6.4 oz will need about 20 minutes, while those weighing around 250 g/ 8.8 oz will need about 25 minutes. Best way to check is with a meat thermometer; it ensures that the meat is safe to eat but not overcooked. (Amazon affiliate link)
Notes
- Weighing between 180 g/ 6.4 oz and 250 g/ 8.8 oz. I don’t change the amounts of ingredients needed for the filling according to the size of the breast. If the meat pieces are small, you might have a couple of tablespoons of leftover filling. They are great as a dip or bread spread.
- Substitute fresh spinach with about 125 g/ 4.4 oz frozen spinach. Let the spinach thaw completely (in a sieve) and squeeze very well to remove the water before adding to the cheese mixture. In this case, you can leave out the cooking (including the onion) and only add the raw grated garlic to the filling.
- It is preferable to use block-style cream cheese, cold and sturdy.
- From a block of cheese, not already crumbled feta. You can substitute feta with another cheese; try grated Cheddar, Gouda, or Parmesan, for instance.
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