Description
Juicy chicken breasts filled with a savory combination of melted mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and garlicky spinach. This impressive yet easy dish delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large chicken breasts
- 150 g (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese (or fresh mozzarella slices)
- 100 g (1 cup) roasted red peppers, sliced
- 100 g (3 cups) fresh spinach
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Toothpicks or kitchen twine
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken Breasts: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket into each chicken breast by slicing horizontally without cutting all the way through. Set aside.
- Prepare the Filling: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Stuff the Chicken: Open each chicken breast pocket and layer with roasted red peppers, sautéed spinach, and mozzarella cheese. Secure the stuffed chicken breasts with toothpicks or kitchen twine to keep the filling in place.
- Season the Chicken: Brush the outside of each chicken breast with the remaining olive oil. Season with Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small drizzle of olive oil if needed. Sear the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Serve: Remove toothpicks or twine before serving. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley or basil, alongside a side of roasted vegetables, rice, or a green salad.
Notes
- You can substitute spinach with other leafy greens such as kale or Swiss chard.
- For extra flavor, add sun-dried tomatoes or olives to the filling.
- Make sure not to cut all the way through the chicken when creating the pocket.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the seared chicken to a baking dish before putting it in the oven.
- To check doneness, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed chicken breast
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 48g
- Cholesterol: 135mg