Spinach Stuffed Chicken

My spinach stuffed chicken is the ultimate stuffed chicken breast recipe, deliciously packed with gourmet flavor for a terrifically cozy meal everyone is sure to enjoy. Marinated and grilled chicken breasts are stuffed full of flavorful provolone cheese, baby spinach, garlicky shiitake mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes before a quick finish in the oven until golden and cheesy!

Chicken Stuffed with Mouthwatering Ingredients

Friends, do you ever look at that package of skinless, boneless chicken breasts parked in your fridge or freezer and think...

“What should I do with these?"

"How can I prepare these in a new and interesting way, and jazz 'em up?”

I've personally had that thought many times, and I'm excited to share the simple and delicious answer I've come up with...

When I'm looking to take my chicken breasts over the top and make 'em extra mouthwatering: I stuff 'em!

Let me tell you, preparing delicious stuffed chicken breasts is a breeze, and when you have a terrific and colorful combination of ingredients to use as your filling, dinner time becomes a bit of a gourmet affair.

My recipe here for spinach stuffed chicken doesn't just stop at spinach, because I also add creamy provolone cheese, garlic-sauteed shiitake mushrooms, and a little sprinkle of sweet and tangy sun-dried tomatoes to the filling, which creates absolutely delectable flavor results.

Easy to prepare anytime you feel like enjoying a slightly more gourmet take on chicken breasts, this spinach stuffed chicken breast recipe is sure to be a favorite pick whether you're preparing a casual weeknight meal or cooking for a slightly special gathering.

Definitely a winner-winner of a chicken dinner!

My Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe

The key to making extra flavorful, extra delicious spinach stuffed chicken is to season things every step of the way.

That means first marinating the skinless, boneless chicken breasts with some simple-yet-savory ingredients to impart even more flavor to them, before they're stuffed.

For my marinade I use a combo of olive oil, Italian seasoning, lemon zest and lemon juice, salt and pepper, granulated garlic, plus paprika.

I allow for a short 20 minutes of marination when I just want to get dinner on the table, or go as long as 24 hours when I'm prepping this scrumptious chicken recipe ahead, for the next day.

Then, it's all about a quick trip to the grill pan, stuffing the breasts, and finishing them in the oven!

Here's a quick peek at my spinach stuffed chicken recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. While my chicken breasts marinate in a zesty combination of ingredients, I saute my shiitake mushrooms with some garlic for a few minutes just until golden, and set those aside for a moment.
2. After the chicken has marinated, I very quickly grill the chicken breasts in my grill pan, just until golden and juicy, yet not cooked through.
3. To stuff my chicken breasts, I cut large pockets into the thickest part of the breasts, and then carefully and gently stuff those pockets with my delicious filling of provolone cheese, spinach, sauteed mushroom, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs.
4. I then secure my stuffed chicken breasts with toothpicks, and place them onto a baking sheet and into the oven for a few moments until ooey-gooey, juicy, and completely cooked through.

Recipe

Spinach Stuffed Chicken

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This spinach stuffed chicken has a gourmet twist with the additions of provolone cheese, garlicky shiitake mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 4

Nutrition Info: 411 calories (per stuffed chicken breast)

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt
• Black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 3 ½ ounce package shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 4 slices of Provolone cheese
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil, preferably)
• 4 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped, divided use
• 1 lemon, sliced into 4 circles for garnish
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredients list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil.
3. To marinate the chicken breast, place them into a bowl or onto a large plate and add about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the lemon zest and juice, the Italian seasoning, a good pinch of salt, of good pinch of pepper, the garlic powder and the paprika, and toss to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate for about 20 minutes (or even overnight if preparing ahead).
4. While the chicken marinates, place a medium-size pan over medium-high heat and add about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; once hot, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms, and once the mushrooms begin to soften, add the pinch of salt and the pinch of black pepper, plus the 2 cloves of pressed garlic to the pan, and sauté quickly for about 1-2 minutes, until slightly golden. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside until ready to use for the filling.
5. Once the chicken breasts are marinated, heat a grill pan on medium-high heat; once very hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and add the marinated chicken breasts to the grill pan. Cook the chicken breasts for only 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown on the outside. (The chicken should not be cooked through at this point.)
6. Remove the chicken from the grill pan, and when cool enough to handle, make a large slit into the thickest part of the breast to create a deep pocket, taking care not to slice all the way through the breast.
7. Next, stuff each breast with a slice of the Provolone cheese, a few leaves of the baby spinach, a spoonful of the sun-dried tomatoes, a spoonful of the sautéed shiitake mushrooms, and a pinch of the chopped parsley.
8. Secure each breast by using 2 toothpicks to hold the breast closed, and place each spinach stuffed chicken breast onto the foil lined baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted. Remove the chicken from the oven and remove the toothpicks.
9. Garnish each spinach stuffed chicken breast with a slice of lemon, a sprinkle of pine nuts, plus a sprinkle of the chopped parsley, and serve while hot with a green salad, or your favorite sides.

Tips & Tidbits for my Spinach Stuffed Chicken:

• Opt for smaller chicken breasts: These days it seems like the pre-packaged chicken breasts are extra large, so if you can find slightly smaller, organic, skinless and boneless chicken breasts, those will be best. This way, the breasts, once stuffed, are just the right size portion for individual servings.
• Shiitake mushrooms, or your favorite variety: I just adore the flavor of shiitake mushrooms, but you can easily substitute cremini mushrooms or even traditional button mushrooms—whatever you have on hand or prefer. A quick saute with some garlic will make any type of mushroom extra tasty!
• Fresh baby spinach leaves: There's no need to pre-cook your spinach here, as it will beautifully wilt right into the cheesy filling as things finish up cooking in the oven. So just add fresh, raw baby spinach leaves right into your filling.
• Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for flavor: Oil-packed or oil-marinated sun-dried tomatoes are a nice option for this spinach stuffed chicken filling, and add a touch more flavor. But feel free to use oil-less sun-dried tomatoes if that is what you can find, and perhaps rehydrate them for 5 minutes in hot water to soften them up.

Craving more delicious recipes such as this one? Check out this Southwest Stuffed Chicken Breasts, this Parmesan Crusted Chicken, this Coconut Chicken, this French Onion Chicken, or this Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Pesto!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2012, and has been updated with even more love!