Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
This Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe features tender chicken breasts filled with a savory mixture of sautéed mushrooms, fresh spinach, garlic, thyme, and melted mozzarella cheese. The chicken is seasoned, seared for a golden crust, and then baked to juicy perfection, making a flavorful and impressive dish perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (7 oz each)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the Mushroom Stuffing
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (30g)
- 7 oz mushrooms, sliced (about 1/8” thick, approximately 2 cups or 200g)
- 3 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced (low-moisture part-skim, 80g)
- 2 cloves garlic, freshly minced
- 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach (steamed and squeezed dry)
For Cooking
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or any neutral oil like canola)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Chicken: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F) or 180°C fan-forced. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a pocket into the side of each boneless, skinless chicken breast without cutting all the way through. Season both the inside and outside of each breast with half of the salt and black pepper.
- Prepare the Mushroom Filling: In a heavy-based, oven-proof skillet, melt the butter over high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes until they begin to turn golden. Stir in the minced garlic, thyme leaves, and the remaining salt and pepper, cooking for another 2 minutes until the mushrooms are nicely golden. Add the steamed baby spinach and stir for about 30 seconds until wilted.
- Stuff and Seal the Chicken: Carefully spoon the mushroom and spinach mixture into each chicken breast pocket. Top the filling with sliced mozzarella cheese. Use toothpicks to almost seal the openings to hold the stuffing in place during cooking.
- Sear the Chicken: Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels and heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the stuffed chicken breasts in the skillet and sear each side for about 1.5 minutes until they develop a golden-brown crust.
- Bake the Chicken: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 65°C (149°F). Be sure to measure the temperature in the chicken flesh, not the stuffing.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a plate. Loosely cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm, ideally with creamy baked lemon herb risotto and baby spinach dressed with balsamic for a complete meal.
Notes
- Be careful when cutting the pocket in the chicken breast to avoid cutting all the way through, ensuring the stuffing stays inside during cooking.
- If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, transfer the chicken to a baking dish after searing before placing in the oven.
- The internal temperature should be checked with a meat thermometer for safe cooking and juiciness.
- Low-moisture part-skim mozzarella is preferred for better melting and texture.
- The mushroom stuffing can be varied by adding herbs like parsley or oregano for different flavor profiles.
- Resting the chicken after baking allows juices to redistribute, keeping the meat tender and moist.
Keywords: Mushroom stuffed chicken breast, baked chicken breast, stuffed chicken recipe, easy chicken dinner, mozzarella stuffed chicken, healthy chicken recipes
