PREP15minutes mins
COOK25minutes mins
TOTAL40minutes mins
SERVINGS 4 people
I’ve become a bit obsessed with chicken breasts lately. The whole concept of stuffing chicken breasts with your favorite fillings and having a complete dinner is just too good to pass up. All the flavors cook inside the chicken breasts and make the chicken super juicy and flavor-packed!
The filling is a mixture of steamed broccoli, garlic, bell pepper, parmesan, cheddar, and cream cheese. The parmesan and cheddar make the broccoli and chicken super juicy and gooey and the creamy cheese ties the whole dish together and gives it a creamy texture that is AMAZING when combined with the cheddar and parmesan!
To begin, steam broccoli florets in the microwave or on the stove-top. Alternatively, you can also blanch them for 1 minute in boiling water. After they are cooked, run them under cold water, drain, and roughly chop them into chunks.
To the broccoli add bell pepper, garlic, and your favorite cheeses. I like to use parmesan, a melting cheese, and cream cheese. If you don’t have cream cheese, you can replace it with mayo. Mix everything up and stuff into butterflied chicken breasts.
If this is your first time stuffing chicken breasts then fear not. The whole process is not as complicated as it looks.
How to butterfly chicken breasts for stuffing:
Butterflying chicken breasts for stuffing is all about making a secure “pocket” for the stuffing rather than butterflying the chicken all the way through.
Use a sharp knife to slice each chicken breasts horizontally to form a pocket – be sure not stop cutting about 1/2 inch from the sides and back of the chicken breasts so you aren’t cutting all the way through.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- ▢4 chicken breasts
- ▢1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, optional
- ▢1 teaspoon paprika, optional
- ▢1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢1 teaspoon salt
- ▢1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- ▢1 tablespoon olive oil
For the filling
- ▢2 cups broccoli florets
- ▢1/4 cup bell pepper, minced
- ▢1/2 cup cheddar cheese, or melting cheese of choice
- ▢4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ▢¼ cup grated Parmesan
- ▢2 cloves garlic, minced
- ▢salt and pepper
Instructions
- To steam broccoli: Chop the broccoli florets into small pieces. Put all the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and about 2 tablespoons water. add water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Alternatively, steam on stove-top or blanch in boiling water for 1 minute.
- Use a sharp knife to slice each chicken breasts horizontally to form a pocket. Be sure not stop cutting about 1/2 inch from the ends and sides. Season chicken breasts with a generous sprinkle of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine the steam and chopped broccoli, bell pepper, garlic, cheeses and salt & Pepper; set aside. Spoon the mixture into each chicken breast evenly. Secure with toothpicks if needed.
- Preheat oven to 400F. Heat 1 tablespoons oil in a large cast iron or oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden. Cover with aluminum foil and transfer to preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1chicken breast, Calories: 242kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 879mg, Potassium: 267mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1163IU, Vitamin C: 53mg, Calcium: 234mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
