Description
This Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe features tender, juicy chicken breasts filled with a savory mixture of sautéed mushrooms, garlic, thyme, spinach, and melted mozzarella cheese. The chicken is seared on the stovetop for a golden crust before being baked to perfection, creating a flavorful and impressive dish perfect for a wholesome dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 x 220g / 7oz chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Filling
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 200g / 7oz mushrooms, sliced about 3mm thick (~2 heaped cups)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 80g / 3oz mozzarella, sliced (or another melting cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F), or 180°C (356°F) if using a fan-assisted oven. This will ensure the chicken finishes cooking evenly after searing.
- Cut Pockets into Chicken: Carefully cut deep pockets into each chicken breast, making sure not to slice all the way through. These pockets will hold the mushroom and cheese filling.
- Season the Chicken: Sprinkle the chicken breasts inside and out with salt and pepper to enhance the flavor throughout.
- Prepare Mushroom Filling: In a skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms, minced garlic, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper, cooking until the mushrooms turn golden and reduce in size. Then add the baby spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat.
- Stuff the Chicken: Spoon the mushroom and spinach mixture into the pockets of each chicken breast. Add slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the filling, then seal each pocket securely using toothpicks to keep the stuffing inside during cooking.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the stuffed chicken breasts in the skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until the outside is golden brown and crispy.
- Bake the Chicken: Transfer the skillet with the seared chicken breasts into the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 65°C (149°F) ensuring it is fully cooked but still juicy.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for a few minutes. This helps the juices redistribute, keeping the meat tender and moist. Serve with your choice of sides.
Notes
- Use a sharp knife when cutting pockets in the chicken for clean, even cuts.
- If you don’t have mozzarella, any mild melting cheese like provolone or Monterey Jack will work well.
- Ensure to seal the pockets well with toothpicks to prevent the filling from spilling out during cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the chicken’s internal temperature to avoid overcooking.
- The recipe serves 2; multiply ingredients accordingly for more servings.
