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This easy stuffed chicken breast recipe has a rich Boursin cheese filling with garlic, herbs, and fresh spinach! The chicken melts in your mouth, and it’s special enough for company.
You may also enjoy my Ranch Cream Cheese Chicken or Spinach Artichoke Chicken next.
Why you’ll love it
It’s definitely time that I got a stuffed chicken breast recipe on the blog, and I figured one inspired by my popular Boursin Chicken would be a great idea. We’ve got chicken that’s pan seared until beautifully golden, filled with cheesy goodness, and then baked to perfection.
This spinach stuffed chicken breast recipe is on the table in about an hour, and you’ll be a pro in no time with the step-by-step photos below. There’s less prep than you think, and this baked stuffed chicken breast will be a fabulous addition to your weeknight rotation!
What you’ll need
- Chicken – we’re using boneless skinless chicken breasts seasoned with salt & pepper
- Olive oil – for sautéing
- Onion and garlic – I like sweet (Vidalia)
- Spinach – for a pop of freshness
- Boursin – it’s a creamy, mild French cream cheese that most grocery stores carry. I use the Fine Herbs and Garlic variety.
- Mozzarella – it makes the filling melty, silky, and irresistibly gooey
- Italian seasoning – this fragrant blend of dried herbs adds even more flavor and comes in a single jar
- Red pepper flakes – they add a gentle heat, not spiciness
Helpful tips
- You don’t need to be super precise with these — some of the filling will spill out, and that is totally ok. Delicious food does not have to be pretty.
- When flipping the chicken, it’s easiest to do it with tongs and just go for it. Don’t hesitate. 😀
How to make stuffed chicken breast
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven. Cut the chicken to make the pockets for the filling, being really careful to not cut right through to the other side. Season with salt & pepper generously on both sides.
In a skillet, sauté the onion in some oil until softened. Still in the garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add the spinach, cooking until it wilts, then remove the pan from the heat. Combine the Boursin, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and spinach mixture in a prep bowl.
With a spoon, evenly stuff each chicken breast with the filling. Close them with two toothpicks each. Heat up the remaining oil, then brown the chicken on both sides. Transfer the skillet to the oven, and bake uncovered until cooked through. Let it rest for a few minutes.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Use a sharp chef’s knife to effortlessly cut the chicken.
- An instant read thermometer is the easiest way to not under or overcook chicken. It’s ready at 165F.
- Flipping these is best done with a pair of cooking tongs.
Substitutions and variations
- I haven’t tested this, but subbing the Boursin for a similar amount of cream cheese should work. Soften it in the microwave prior to adding it to the mixture.
- You could add chopped fresh herbs such as some parsley or thyme to the mixture if you happen to have some or want to bump up the herby flavor more. Sun-dried tomatoes could also be a good addition, but I’d chop them up quite small and only add a small amount so the chicken isn’t overstuffed.
- A note on the spinach: I don’t chop the spinach, but you could chop it prior to sautéing it if you wish. If you want to use frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach, try using about 3 oz or so and ensure the water is completely squeezed out.
What to serve with stuffed chicken
- Try my Easy Mashed Potatoes, rice, or pasta. These Garlic Butter Noodles would be a great pairing.
- For veggie options, try my Roasted Asparagus, green beans, or these Easy Garlic Sauteed Mushrooms.
- A salad with my Homemade Olive Garden Dressing makes a zesty complement.
Leftovers and storage
- These will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Try reheating in the oven at 350F until hot in the middle or in a covered saucepan slowly over a low heat.
- I generally don’t recommend freezing recipes with dairy as texture can change, but you can try freezing leftovers for up to 3 months and see how it goes.
More easy chicken recipes
If you made these spinach stuffed chicken breasts, please leave a star rating and review below! I’d love to hear from you. Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram with your creations.
Boursin Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 (8-9 ounces each) boneless skinless chicken breasts see note
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/2 medium onion chopped finely
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
- 1 (5.2 ounce) package Boursin Fine Herbs & Garlic cheese softened
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional but recommended
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the middle position.
- Cut a pocket into each chicken breast, taking care not to cut through the other side. See the step-by-step photos in the blog post if you're unsure of where to cut.
- Generously season the chicken with salt & pepper.
- Add one tablespoon of the olive oil to a large oven-safe skillet (I use my 12" Le Creuset) over medium heat, and sauté the onion until soft and lightly browned (about 5-7 minutes).
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the spinach and cook for a few minutes until wilted (stir/toss often), then take the skillet off the heat.
- In a medium prep bowl, combine the Boursin, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and spinach mixture from the skillet. Do not wash the skillet yet – you will use it to cook the chicken.
- Using a spoon, stuff the chicken breasts evenly with the filling. I use 2 toothpicks in each chicken breast to close them. Don't worry if you don't do this perfectly. Some of the filling will spill out in the next step and that's ok – it helps makes a tasty pan sauce.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and heat it up over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes on the first side, flip using tongs, and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes prior to serving. The pan juices are delicious over mashed potatoes or rice. Don't forget to remove the toothpicks prior to serving!
Notes
- During testing, 8-9 oz. sized chicken breasts had the best results. They’re fairly large but not huge (but this is subjective so that’s why I use a precise weight in this recipe) and can hold the stuffing well. If yours are larger, oven cooking time will need to increase, and you may want to add another 1/2 cup of mozzarella to the stuffing. With smaller ones, you may have some stuffing left over if you can’t get it all to fit, and you will need to take care not to overcook them. Always use an instant read meat thermometer to ensure they’re 165F and safe to eat.
- If you don’t own an oven-safe skillet, transfer the chicken to a baking dish for step 10.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe is delish!!! We loved it! My husband said it’s a keeper – meaning to add it to our favorite go to meals.
Thank you, Debra! 😀
Just wondering if you could substitute the spinach with another vegetable? I love your Boursin salmon recipe and know I would love this one. Just have a spinach allergy.
Hi! Maybe kale?
I used asparagus spears instead of spinach!
I made this for dinner last night and what a delicious way to make chicken, the creamy stuffed chicken breast was so good!! Since I had the oven on I made smashed potatoes and spooned the extra sauce over them. This is perfect for when we have company or just the 2 of us with leftovers.
That makes me so happy!! 😀
This is my favorite stuffed chicken recipe! It was delicious!
Yay!! I’m thrilled to hear that, Katie! Appreciate your review.
Delicious! Looks so fancy but was really easy to make. Used another Boursin cheese to make extra sauce for the noodles we served it with and everyone loved it. Note: don’t use colored toothpicks…maybe that’s common sense I didn’t have! 🙂
Haha oh no!! That is a good tip. Glad you enjoyed it, though!!
This recipe was excellent. Husband sends his compliments as well!
Fantastic!
Made this last night and it was a winner! So delicious and the chicken was juicy. I’ll be making it again.
That’s great to hear, May! Thank you!
Okay hear me out…this recipe plus the sauce from your creamy garlic parmesan chicken recipe. **chef’s kiss** SO good!
That’s a great idea!! 😀
Nothing could be more delicious than this recipe. I followed this recipe exactly as it was written and it melted in your mouth. My husband could not stop complimenting it the whole time he ate it. Already he asked if I would make it again!!!! I will be making this for company for sure!!!!!!
That makes me so happy!! 😀 Thank you so much for your review!