This recipe for spinach-stuffed chicken breast with cream cheese is easy to make and so delicious! The meat is tender and the filling is oozy and comforting; this is a family favorite recipe.
Looking for a quick, tasty, and healthy dinner idea tonight? Try this spinach-stuffed chicken breast. It’s easy to make, yet it looks rather fancy, it’s juicy and so full of flavor.
Chicken breast for dinner is always a good idea for us! Cast-iron Chicken Breast, Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer, Dutch Oven Chicken Breast, or a simple Chicken and Potato Soup, anything goes! These cuts are versatile, they are always something you will find in my freezer, they are super easy and fast to cook, and they always taste great.
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Ingredients
Chicken breast pieces weighing between 6.5 - 9 oz/ 180 -250 g.
- 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 9 oz/ 250 g. You can substitute it with 125 g frozen spinach. In this case, let it thaw completely (in a sieve or microwave), and squeeze very well to remove the water before adding to the cheese mixture. Try the Frozen Spinach Pasta, too.
Cream cheese: A small amount. It is preferable to use block-style cream cheese, cold and sturdy. Check out the Cream Cheese Stuffed Pork, too; it's delicious!
- You can use cream cheese from a container, but note that it’s creamier and softer. Be sure to chill the filling thoroughly before stuffing, as it will be a bit messier to work with. Don’t use whipped cream cheese or other soft spreads.
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.
See the recipe card for full information on the ingredients and quantities.
How to make spinach-stuffed chicken breast?
- 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°F/ 220°C until the internal temperature reaches 165°F/ 74°C.
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, store and reheat
Make ahead: Cut the chicken and store it in an airtight container until ready to fill. Prepare the filling and refrigerate it as well. When ready to serve, fill, secure, and bake. Alternatively, assemble everything in advance: place the stuffed breasts in a baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Remove the wrap and bake as directed.
Reheat: Chicken breast is best served immediately, as reheating can dry it out. However, the cream cheese filling helps keep the meat moist. To reheat, place in the oven at 325°F/ 165°C until piping hot, about 10–15 minutes.
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
Equipment
- Baking dish
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts Note 1
- 1 small onion
- 3 garlic cloves divided
- 9 oz fresh spinach 250 g, Note 2
- 3.5 oz cream cheese 100 g, Note 3
- 3.5 oz feta cheese 100 g, 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 430°F/ 220°C. Lightly brush or spray the baking dish with olive oil.
Spinach:
- Finely chop the onion and 2 of the garlic cloves. Wash the spinach in a sieve, shake lightly, but don’t dry it, chop it roughly.1 small onion + 2 from 3 garlic cloves + 9 oz fresh spinach/ 250 g
- 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.1 tablespoon from 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Remove from the pan and let cool completely (spread it on a larger plate, so that it cools faster).
- If using frozen spinach (45 oz/ 125 g), let it thaw completely and squeeze it 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.4 chicken breasts
- Brush or rub the meat with the remaining oil. Mix the seasoning and season the chicken generously on the outside and the inside.1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder + ¼ teaspoon onion powder + ¼ teaspoon garlic powder + ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Filling:
- Combine cream cheese, cold spinach, crumbled feta, grated garlic clove, a little salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mash with a fork until well combined.3.5 oz cream cheese/ 100 g + 3.5 oz feta cheese/ 100 g + 1 garlic clove + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
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 165°F/ 74°C. Chicken breasts weighing around 6.5 oz/ 180 g will need about 20 minutes, while those weighing around 9 oz/ 250 g will need about 25 minutes. The best way to check is with a meat thermometer; it ensures the meat is safe but not overcooked.
Notes
- Chicken breasts weighing between 6.5 oz/ 180 g and 9 oz/ 250 g. I don’t change the amount of ingredients needed for the filling according to the breast size. You might have a couple of tablespoons of leftover filling if the meat pieces are small. They are great as a dip or bread spread.
- Substitute fresh spinach with 4.5 oz/ 125 g 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.
- Cream cheese: Block-style cream cheese is preferable, as it is cold and sturdy.
- Use feta from a block of cheese, not already crumbled feta. You can substitute feta with another cheese; try grated Cheddar, Gouda, or Parmesan.
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