This cheesy gruyere and parmesan stuffed chicken breast recipe is served with a buttery lemon piccata sauce and capers for a tasty Italian dish. I coat the chicken in flour to give it a beautifully crisp and golden brown pan-fried finish, and it goes from the stovetop to the oven all in one pan!
I love classic chicken piccata, but one night I thought, what if it was stuffed with cheese? Chicken breasts stuffed with gruyere, then served in a lemon and white wine sauce with capers…perfection! This twist on one of my favorite Italian chicken dishes is truly delicious and makes dinnertime feel extra special.
What’s in Stuffed Chicken with Piccata Sauce?
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are best for stuffing with cheese.
- Cheese: Use a combo of Gruyere and Parmesan to stuff the chicken. Mozzarella or fontina would be delicious as well.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour to coat the chicken. This will give it a browned crust.
- White Wine: Use a dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, for the sauce. Or substitute a white cooking wine or chicken broth.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is key to a zesty and flavorful piccata sauce.
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness to the sauce.
- Capers: Every good piccata recipe needs some Capers. These add a mix of brininess and tanginess, and nice texture.
Make it Creamy
Make a creamy piccata sauce for this gruyere stuffed chicken breast by adding some heavy cream. Just stir in a bit of cream right at the end, until you reach your desired consistency.
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How to Store and Reheat
Store stuffed chicken piccata in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat, along with a bit of butter, until the chicken breasts are fully warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze Gruyere stuffed chicken with piccata sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Notes and Tips
- If your piccata sauce tastes too sour or tangy, add about ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to balance out the acidity. This can happen when the lemon in the sauce cooks for too long.
- When seasoning the chicken, I usually use about one teaspoon of salt per pound of chicken.
- To check the doneness of the chicken, use an instant-read meat thermometer. When it reaches 165°F degrees you’re good to plate up!
- Stuffed chicken piccata is delicious with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, or pasta.
Stuffed Chicken Piccata Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ cup grated Gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1½ lemons
- 4 tablespoons capers divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter ⅜ stick
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional
- lemon wedges optional, for serving
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast. Be careful not to cut all the way through.
- Stuff each chicken breast with ¼ of the gruyere and parmesan. Secure the chicken with toothpicks.¾ cup grated Gruyere cheese, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dip each chicken breast to coat.¾ cup all-purpose flour
- Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Once the oil begins to shimmer/crackle, add the chicken.
- Brown the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side.
- Once golden, transfer the chicken to the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
- Remove from the oven and set the chicken aside on your serving plate. Loosely tent with foil.
- Place the skillet back onto the stove. Add the white wine, lemon juice, and capers to the pan and lightly scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze.1 cup dry white wine, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 4 tablespoons capers
- Add the butter and let it melt. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 5 minutes to slightly thicken.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken, garnish with parsley, lemon wedges, and serve.1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, lemon wedges
Notes
- You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer; however, the pockets will not be as large.
- Feel free to swap the Gruyere for mozzarella, emmental, or fontina.
- Feel free to swap the Parmesan for asiago, pecorino romano, or grana padano.
- For gluten-free stuffed chicken, swap the all-purpose flour for gluten-free 1:1 flour.
- In place of the white wine, you can use white cooking wine or low-sodium chicken broth.
- In place of the capers, you can use chopped (pitted) green olives.
- Use a sharp paring knife to cut a pocket in the chicken. Be sure not to cut all the way through.
- Don’t be shy with the cheese, but also don’t overstuff the cheese into the chicken breast pocket.
- When seasoning the chicken, I usually use about one teaspoon of salt per pound of chicken.
- To check the doneness of the chicken, use an instant-read meat thermometer. When it reaches 165°F degrees you’re good to plate up!
- Garnish with parsley and lemon zest for an extra pop of color and flavor.
How to Make Stuffed Chicken Piccata Step by Step
Season the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Next, pat 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry. Season both sides with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Stuff the Chicken: Use a paring knife to cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast, horizontally. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Then evenly divide ¾ cup of grated Gruyere cheese and ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese to stuff the chicken. Secure with toothpicks.
Pan-fry the Chicken: Place ¾ cup of all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl, and dip each chicken breast to coat. Then heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer/crackle, add the chicken. Brown the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side to create a crust.
Bake the Chicken: Once golden, transfer the stuffed chicken breasts to the pre-heated oven, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven and set the chicken aside, loosely tented with foil.
Make the Piccata Sauce: Place the skillet back onto the stove over medium heat. Add 1 cup of dry white wine, 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and 4 tablespoons of capers, and lightly scrape the bottom of the skillet to deglaze. Next, add 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter and let it melt. Reduce heat to a simmer, and allow the sauce to cook for 5 minutes to slightly thicken.
Serve: Spoon the piccata sauce over the gruyere stuffed chicken, then garnish with 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges if desired.
Stuffed chicken piccata is everything you love about chicken piccata (lemony, briny, buttery), but taken to the next level. This chicken is stuffed with gruyere and parmesan cheese!
You can make this recipe gluten-free by swapping out the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
A dry white wine is any white wine that is not sweet. I like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, or Pinot Grigio. You can also use white cooking wine, which can be found in the oil and vinegar aisle of the grocery store.
To check for doneness, poke the thickest part of the chicken (not the center where the filling is!) with the probe of an instant-read thermometer. If the thermometer reads 165°F, the chicken is cooked.
I have NOT made this….but I am looking forward to trying it!
Let me know how it goes!!