Description
A delicious and creamy Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe featuring tender chicken breasts filled with a savory blend of spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, and cheeses, seared to golden perfection and finished with a luscious cream sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon mild paprika (optional)
- 1 pinch salt (to season)
- 1 pinch pepper (to season)
Stuffing
- 4 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
- 8 ounces block cream cheese (light or reduced fat, at room temp)
- 6 ounces artichoke hearts in brine (bottled or canned, finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 pinch salt (to taste)
- 1 handful spinach artichoke dip
Sauce
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Place each chicken breast on a flat surface. Season both sides of each breast with Italian seasoning and paprika. Cut a slit or pocket about three-quarters through each breast, being careful not to cut all the way through.
- Make Stuffing and Stuff Chicken: In a bowl, combine thawed spinach, cream cheese, chopped artichokes, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan, minced garlic, salt to taste, and a handful of spinach artichoke dip. Stuff each chicken breast pocket fully with this mixture and seal the openings with toothpicks to secure the filling.
- Sear Chicken: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the stuffed chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Once seared, transfer the chicken temporarily to a plate.
- Prepare Sauce and Serve: In the same skillet, combine the remaining spinach artichoke dip with half and half or heavy cream, stirring to create a creamy sauce. Return the seared stuffed chicken breasts to the pan, spoon the sauce over them, allow to heat through for 2-3 minutes, then serve hot.
Notes
- Thaw and drain the spinach well to prevent watery stuffing.
- Seal the chicken pockets firmly with toothpicks to avoid leakage during cooking.
- Use light or reduced-fat cream cheese and cheeses for a lighter version.
- You can substitute half and half with heavy cream for a richer sauce.
- Cook chicken until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) to ensure safety.
