Hungry and Homesick for the ‘90’s? Take This Sun-Dried Tomato and Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast for a Spin.
Not only is this cheese-and-pesto stuffed chicken breast delicious, it’s super easy to put together and filled with lots of flavorful ingredients like sundried tomatoes, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and pesto! Basically, it’s an unabashedly ‘90’s-inspired flavor-bomb—but you don’t have to self-identify as a yuppie in order to love it. The whole dish comes together in just 30 minutes so it’s perfect for everything from a quick weeknight meal to entertaining guests.
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The Secret To A Non-Boring Chicken Dinner? CHEESE.
Cooking a stuffed chicken breast may sound complicated, but it’s easier than you’d think. If you are anything like us, you are always looking for new and exciting ways to cook a basic chicken breast. In general, stuffing things with cheese (see also: pizza crust, slices of bread, our faces) makes things more interesting, and that’s true of chicken breast, too!
We stuff our chicken breasts with:
- Minced garlic
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Spinach
- Mozzarella cheese
- Pesto
- Cream cheese
Sounds good right? Let’s get started!
Here’s How to Make Stuffed Chicken Breast:
- Start with 4 good-sized chicken breasts. They don’t have to be gigantic, but you don’t want to use chicken breasts that are too small to stuff.
- Use a sharp knife to create a “pocket” on the inside of the breast. Make sure you leave one whole side (and even the ends) intact so your fillings stay inside.
- Salt those babies! We even like to sprinkle a little salt on the inside of the pocket, too.
- Mix the pesto, mozzarella, and cream cheese in a bowl.
- Stuff that cheesey goodness into the chicken breast pocket and now you’re ready to bake them!
How to Easily Stuff Chicken Breast:
After you make the stuffed chicken breast filling and layer it all in the breast with the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, the key to making sure that the stuffed chicken breasts stay stuffed even as they bake is to secure the stuffed pocket with a toothpick. Then, you’ll brown both sides of the stuffed chicken breast in a hot skillet until golden brown—tongs are handy for this task. Once they’re browned, you’ll pop them into the oven to bake until they’re fully cooked.
How Long Does it Take to Cook Stuffed Chicken Breast?
This stuffed chicken breast with spinach, sun dried tomatoes, and pesto makes for a really quick and easy weeknight dinner, but is equally fitting and delicious enough for company. Here’s how simple it is: once you’ve got your stuffed chicken prepared you’ll want to sear in the skillet for 3-4 minutes on each side, and pop it in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Tips for Making Stuffed Chicken Breast:
- Be sure your chicken breasts are on the larger side, and equally sized. If you are feeding light eaters or small people (i.e. children) you don’t have to serve them each an individual breast. Simply slice the finished dish and divide it up among the plates.
- Make your pocket as deep as possible without slicing the chicken breast fully in half. The bigger the pocket, the more filling you can stuff in there. Using a very sharp knife makes this task easier to do.
- Using a toothpick to secure the stuffed chicken breast is optional. Think of it as a grilled cheese sandwich—as the stuffed chicken breast cooks, some of the filling may squeeze out, but a little crispy cheese never hurt anyone.
More Delicious Ways to Prepare Chicken Breast.
We swear, chicken breast dinners don’t have to be bland! Here are some of our favorite ways to cook them:
Did This Delicious Chicken Recipe Make it to Your Dinner Table?
If you make this stuffed chicken breast with spinach, sun dried tomatoes, and pesto, we’d love to hear about it! Be sure to snap a photo, add it to your Instagram feed or stories and tag @themodernproper and #themodernproper if you do. Also, feel free to leave a comment on the post and tell your friends where you discovered the recipe!
