This is a chicken dish on an entirely different level from the usual! Incredibly juicy, wonderfully tasty, and surprisingly easy to whip up, this stuffed chicken breast recipe is the perfect dish for a fantastic dinner or even a rich weekend lunch.
You can serve it with a variety of side dishes, it's wonderfully adaptable and you can easily substitute most of the main ingredients, tweaking it until your heart's content.
So, are you ready to make this fantastic chicken breast recipe? Let's get cooking!
Why you'll love this stuffed chicken breast recipe
- Stuffed chicken breast recipes bring a whole new level of flavor when compared to standard chicken recipes.
- It's a very adaptable recipe. Not a fan of leek? Make it a spinach stuffed chicken breast recipe! Prefer cream cheese to goat cheese? Not a problem!
- You can pair it with so many different side dishes, from mashed potatoes to rice and even a side salad.
Equipment needed
There are a few important items that you will need for this chicken breast recipe:
- Cast iron skillet – a quality skillet is key to getting that wonderful seared quality to each chicken breast
- Medium bowl – you'll need this to mix up your stuffing mixture
- Baking dish – this is for the second phase of cooking, when you bake each chicken breast in the oven
How to make leek stuffed chicken breasts
- You need chicken, leeks, wine, goat's cheese, heavy cream, butter and chicken stock for this recipe.
- Gently fry the leeks in butter until tender and cooked.
- Cut a deep pocket into the thickest part of each chicken breast.
- Once the leeks have cooled slightly, mix them soft goat cheese and finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes until well combined.
- Divide the filling evenly between the number of chicken breasts.
- Fill each chicken breast and close it.
- You can pan fry the chicken breasts or bake them in the oven. Make the sauce in a pan while the chicken is cooking. Enjoy!
Top tips
You don't have to break the bank with the cooking wine, but make sure it's one that would actually drink. Bad wine is bad wine, weather you're drinking it or cooking with it.
Variations to this recipe
Spinach and Feta
Substitute leeks with chopped spinach stuffing and the goat cheese with feta cheese for a Mediterranean twist. Fresh spinach stuffed chicken breasts is delicious too!
Mushroom and Herb
Add sautéed mushrooms and fresh thyme for an earthy, aromatic flavor.
Bacon and Cheddar
Replace goat cheese with cheddar and add crumbled bacon for a smoky, rich taste.
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Lemon, Herbs and Seasoning
Add lemon zest and parsley for a bright, fresh variation. You could also add red pepper flakes, fresh garlic cloves, garlic powder or your favorite chicken seasoning for extra flavor.
Artichoke and Parmesan
Swap goat cheese for grated Parmesan cheese and add artichoke hearts for a savory, tangy option.
Popular substitutions
- Cheese: Use a softened cream cheese mixture or ricotta instead of goat cheese. You could also go for shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Vegetables: Onions or zucchini can replace leeks. You could even make spinach stuffed chicken breast, a combination that goes particularly well. Frozen spinach or fresh baby spinach would work well.
- Protein: Turkey breasts or pork chops can substitute for chicken breasts.
- Wine: Replace with chicken broth or apple juice
How to serve stuffed chicken breast
- With Mashed Potatoes: Serve alongside creamy mashed potatoes to soak up the rich sauce.
- Over Rice or Quinoa: Spoon the chicken and sauce over rice or quinoa for a complete meal.
- With Roasted Vegetables: Pair with roasted asparagus, carrots, or Brussels sprouts for a balanced plate.
- With a Side Salad: A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette complements the rich flavors.
- With Crusty Bread: Serve with warm, crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Top tips
- Use a sharp knife when slicing open the chicken breast pockets
- If you have chicken breast fillets that are thick, flatten them with a meat mallet
- Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is cooked properly
- Use parmesan cheese for a richer cheese flavor
- Spinach stuffed chicken breast is just as nice as leek – feel free to swap the two
Do you cook stuffing before putting in the chicken?
Yes. This leek and cheese stuffing needs to be gently fried in the pan before adding it to the chicken breasts.
What cheese goes well with chicken?
Goat cheese is particularly great when paired with chicken. You could also use a strong punchy cheese like parmesan for this reicpe.
How do you cut chicken for stuffed chicken breasts?
Place the chicken breast flat on the chopping board and secure it by placing you hand flat on top of it. Slowly insert your knife from the tip into the meatiest part of the breast and work your way along.
You don't need to cut so deep at first. Gradually enlarge the incision by working your way back and forth until you've created a pocket.
How do you prevent stuffed chicken breast from drying out?
The creamy cheese in the stuffing works well to keep the chicken tender and moist, but make sure you don't overcook it as this is a sure fire way to dry it out.
If the chicken breast is too thick, use a meat mallet to thin in out and tenderize it. This will help stop it from drying out.
How do you seal stuffed chicken?
You can use toothpicks to seal each chicken breast, preventing the stuffing mixture from falling out as it cooks.
How long does it take to cook stuffed chicken?
Over a medium heat, it will take about 5 minutes to brown these chicken breasts, then a further 15 to 20 minutes to bake them in the oven.
What's the best stuffing mixture for chicken?
Leek with cheese is a wonderful stuffing that adds so much flavor. Spinach stuffed chicken breast is also delicious.
What wine goes with chicken and leek?
I would recommend a dry, robust white wine. Something like a Chardonnay or a Chenin Blanc would be perfect.
Storage Instructions
Refrigeration
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a little extra cream or stock if needed to maintain moisture.
Freezing
- Freeze the cooked chicken and sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat slowly on the stovetop to preserve the sauce’s texture.
More chicken recipes
Once you've made this stuffed chicken breast recipe, try your hand at the following:
- Chicken yakitori – wonderfully juicy chicken skewers served with a rich yakitori sauce on the side, for an incredibly easy yet oh-so satisfying dish
- Chinese chicken sweetcorn soup – a gluten-free delight that's perfect for a cozy night in
- Chicken cobbler – a hearty American classic
- Lemon chicken tray bake – a one tray wonder that is perfect comfort food
📖 Recipe
Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Try these incredible moist stuffed chicken breasts. Glaze the stuffed chicken breasts with a creamy white wine sauce. Beautiful and zesty taste of lime in the background. Garnish with greens and add a side.
Ingredients
- 4 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 cups leeks, finely sliced
- ¼ cup soft goat cheese
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cut a deep pocket into the thickest part of each chicken breast. Set aside.
- Cook the Leeks:Â In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
- Add the sliced leeks and cook until they are very soft, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly.
- Mix with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Once the leeks have cooled slightly, mix them with ¼ cup of soft goat cheese and ¼ cup of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes until well combined. The goat cheese will help bind the leeks and sun-dried tomatoes, making the stuffing more stable.
- Stuff the Chicken:Â Divide the leek, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomato mixture among the chicken breasts, stuffing it into the pockets. If needed, secure the openings with toothpicks.
- Sear the Chicken:Â In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
- Add the stuffed chicken breasts and sear them on both sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Bake the Chicken:Â Transfer the seared chicken breasts to a baking dish.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F or 75°C).
- Make the Sauce:Â While the chicken bakes, use the same skillet (without cleaning it) to make the sauce. Place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat.
- Add the wine (or additional chicken stock) and ½ cup of chicken stock to the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Stir in the heavy cream and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve:Â Once the chicken is done, remove the toothpicks and slice if desired.
- Pour the creamy sauce over the chicken before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 640
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 324.1 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 16.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.1 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 69.3 g
- Cholesterol: 260.7 mg
Renil M. George
thank you for made all the recipe so easy for us, its healthy too.
Alana
I'm wondering about adapting this for some rainbow trout I have. Obviously wouldn't be able to stuff them but put the leeks in the sauce maybe, hmm...
Matt
Thankyou for your help:)
Michelle
Matt, it is a slightly tricky thing to do but here is a video link that will give you some idea:
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-stuff-a-chicken-breast-used-in-taste-of-home-magazine-238591/
Hope that helped!
Matt
I am not sure how you secure the leeks?It says with cocktails stickis but cant work out how these would keep them in?Please help
richard morgan
We wrapped our stuffed breasts in panchetta then tied them up with string. suitable for cooking, not plastic etc. Blew our minds the taste and flavours.
Michelle
Charlotte, I'm sorry to tell you that I made a mistake by leaving that note in the recipe. I used another recipe as the template for this one.
With that being said, if you leave out the wine and lime juice and zest, and add the gorgonzola at the end I think the sauce will work.
Charlotte
Seth, you add the wine with the stock (see '6')
Im intrigued by the note about Gorgonzola... when can this be added!?
Thanks!
Seth
Um, when do you add the wine? It's on the indredient list and in the name but not anywhere in the actual recipe.
Jeanne
I always think stuffed chicken breasts offer one of the better impact-to-effort ratios around. Yes, they are a bit of a fiddle, but it you choose a filling that doesn't need cooking, that cuts out one step - I usually use diced spring onions, tomato paste and feta mashed together.
That said, my chicken breasts NEVER come out looking this drop-dead gorgeous!! Absolutely perfect 🙂
We Are Never Full
The may have been a b*tch to cook, but damn they looks lovely!
Patricia Scarpin
I love stuffed chicken breasts and this is an interesting choice of flavors, Michelle!
you tube is great, I agree. 😉
A scientist in the kitchen
Looks good and delicious! Bet this would taste great with rice too 🙂