Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
These Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe is a low carb and keto stuffed chicken recipe featuring tender and juicy chicken breast, spinach, roasted red peppers, and creamy fontina cheese!
Why We Love This Best Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
Raise your hand if you eat chicken for dinner last least twice a week. (Me!)
Ok, now raise your hand if you get tired of making the same ol’ chicken recipes over and over again.
I bet the vast majority of you responded twice.
Even with all the recipe testing going on in our kitchen, chicken is the protein we eat most often. It’s versatile, readily available, and packed with nutrients.
Yet many times, chicken dishes can come across as bland or dry.
Well, today I’m introducing a clever way to prepare chicken that will excite the whole family… Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken.
This colorful eye-catching main dish is sure to turn heads. The filling is packed with chopped spinach, roasted red peppers, onions, garlic, smoked paprika, and molten cheese. The robust combination accentuates the flavor of the juicy chicken.
As you cut into each chicken breast, the hot cheesy filling oozes out, inviting you back for another bite. Best of all, Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts are super simple to make.
And if you love flavorful stuffed chicken recipes, you have to try my Guacamole and Cheese Stuffed Chicken, too!
Ingredients You Need
These Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts require minimal, yet high quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken Breasts – large chicken breast works best so there is plenty of room to stuff them
- Fontina Cheese – or any creamy cheese like cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, or even feta cheese
- Frozen Chopped Spinach – or fresh baby spinach chopped in small pieces
- Roasted Red Peppers – or opt for sun-dried tomatoes
- Shaved Onion – or diced into small squares
- Garlic – for added flavor and aroma
- Smoked Paprika – for a slight kick and smoky flavor!
- Olive Oil – to drizzle on chicken
- Salt & Pepper – to taste
Pro Tip: For a bit of added heat, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes on top!
How To Make Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the chicken breasts flat on the baking sheet. Starting from one side, use a sharp knife to cut a deep slit (or pocket) into each chicken breast, parallel to the baking sheet, leaving three sides intact. Try to make the cut even so the attached edges are all about 1/2 inch thick.
Squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as possible. Then, mix the spinach, shredded cheese, red peppers, shaved onion, garlic, paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a mixing bowl.
Stuff the mixture evenly into the chicken breasts, turning them upright, so the stuffing is facing up. Drizzle each breast with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Bake for 25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the chicken is cooked through at the thickest point. Serve warm!
Pro Tip: To check the internal temperature of the chicken, use a meat thermometer to make sure it is cooked to 165 F!
Serving Suggestions
Easy one-pan spinach stuffed chicken breast is the perfect protein to serve with so many different sides! Try serving this stuffed chicken recipe with some of my personal favorites:
- Basmati Rice
- Mashed Potatoes
- Dutchess Potatoes
- Roasted Red Pepper Marinara
- Steakhouse Salad
- Homemade Yeast Rolls
- Roasted Cauliflower Rice
- Air Fryer Green Beans
Tips & Tricks
- You can use fresh spinach if that is what you have on hand!
- To be sure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check that the temperature in the thickest part of the chicken has reached 165 F!
- Switch up the seasonings! I added garlic powder and paprika but other additional spices would be delicious like thyme and basil, or even Italian seasoning!
Frequently Asked Questions
The best method for stuffing chicken depends on the type of chicken you buy! If using bone-in chicken, I would suggest only stuffing fillings under the skin.
If you are using boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, lay them flat on a cutting board. Then cut a pocket parallel to the cutting board, that remains connected on three sides.
Now you can either stuff the chicken and lock the fillings in, by closing the chicken with a toothpick. Or you can stuff the chicken and turn it upward, almost like a bowl, so the fillings are on top.
This second method is my favorite, because the filling is on display and the chicken can cook in a shorter amount of time!
You can pan-fry stuffed chicken in a skillet or grill it if you would like! The best and easiest way to cook spinach stuffed chicken breast is to bake it. This will allow the filling to melt and mingle, without running out of the chicken breast. Bake the chicken at 350 degrees, for 20-25 minutes. This allows plenty of time for the chicken to fully cook and the fillings to heat all the way to the middle.
Store any leftover stuffed chicken breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave and serve!
Looking for More Chicken Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Confetti Quinoa Stuffed Chicken
- Guacamole Stuffed Chicken
- Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells
- Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Skillet
- Peruvian Baked Chicken
Get Our Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe Below!
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
- 2 cups shredded fontina cheese (or gouda)
- 9 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted red pepper
- 2 tablespoons shaved onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the chicken breasts flat on the baking sheet. Starting from one side, cut a deep slit (or pocket) into each chicken breast, parallel to the baking sheet, leaving three sides intact. Try to make the cut even so the attached edges are all about 1/2-inch thick.
- Squeeze as much moisture out of the thawed spinach as possible. Then mix the spinach, shredded cheese, red peppers, shaved onion, garlic, paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a mix bowl.
- Stuff the mixture evenly into the chicken breasts, turning them upright, so the stuffing is facing up. Drizzle each breast with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the chicken is cooked through at the thickest point. Serve warm!
I’ve made this twice now – once with fresh spinach and once with frozen. I highly recommend using fresh! It costs more, but it is worth it.
Also good to top with bacon crumbles.
I have what might be a silly question but with the one glove of garlic how do you mince it? Can you use minced dried garlic instead and if so what would be the measurement of dried minced garlic to equal one glove of minced garlic? What type of onion is best?
Hi Julie,
If using a fresh garlic clove, simply smash it on a cutting board with the flat edge of a knife, then chop it into very fine pieces. If using fresh minced garlic go with approximately 1 teaspoon. If using dried minced garlic use 1/2 teaspoon. :)
This sounds yummy. And seems easy for me, a not so great cook! Can you use mozzarella cheese instead? Can you use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Hi Debbie,
Yes, to both questions. :)
However, you may need to steam the spinach to wilt it down so you can pack it into the chicken breasts.