Mediterranean Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Recipe
This Mediterranean stuffed chicken breast is filled with a creamy spinach, feta, and roasted red pepper filling, then baked in the oven. It's a fresh and delicious weeknight meal I make over and over again!
Servings: 4 chicken breasts
Calories: 571kcal
Equipment
- Oven-Safe Skillet
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 6 ounces cream cheese ¾ brick, room temperature*
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese **
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach ***
- ½ cup chopped roasted red pepper from a 12-ounce jar****
For the Chicken:
- 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Combine the cream cheese, feta cheese, and garlic in a bowl.6 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, 1 clove garlic
- Wilt the spinach in a small skillet over medium heat. Pat dry, then stir in the chopped roasted red pepper.2 cups fresh spinach, ½ cup chopped roasted red pepper
- Add the spinach and red pepper to the cream cheese mixture.
- Cut out a wide pocket in each chicken breast, being careful not to cut all the way through.4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Stuff each chicken breast evenly with ¼ of the filling.
- Combine the salt, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper in a small dish. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the chicken breasts. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the chicken, coating them on all sides.1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat.
- Once heated, sear the stuffed chicken breasts on each side, but don’t cook them through. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
- Place all 4 breasts in the skillet and transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until the chicken breasts are cooked to 165°F at the thickest point. Make sure to measure the temperature in the chicken breast, not the filling.
Notes
*Ricotta, mascarpone, or Greek yogurt also work.
**For a tangier flavor, try goat cheese!
***If using frozen spinach, use just ⅓ cup, let it thaw, and squeeze out any excess moisture.
****Sun-dried tomatoes make a great substitute!
Tips:
- Pick large chicken breasts so you have a large pocket for stuffing.
- Chop your roasted red peppers nice and small so they fit inside the chicken.
- Optionally add a tsp of lemon zest or some chopped (pitted) castelvetrano olives to the filling for a little zip!
- For stuffing, cut into the side of each chicken breast with a paring knife. Remember, we are creating a pocket, not cutting it in half!
- Be careful not to overstuff the chicken.
- You can secure the chicken breasts closed with toothpicks to prevent the filling from falling out.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can sear the chicken in a skillet first, then transfer to another oven-safe dish.
- If your chicken is starting to brown too quickly in the oven, loosely cover the pan with foil to prevent burning.
- Let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes before digging in to set the filling and seal in the juices.
- Serve with a side of roasted potatoes and a fresh arugula salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
Serving: 1chicken breast | Calories: 571kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 211mg | Sodium: 721mg | Potassium: 1065mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2224IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 2mg