Description
Delicious Cheesy Pesto Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts, featuring tender chicken pockets filled with mozzarella, fresh spinach, diced tomatoes, and flavorful pesto, baked to perfection and optionally topped with garlic or herb butter for an extra burst of taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper
- 4-5 wooden skewers or toothpicks
- Butter, garlic butter or herb butter for topping (optional)
Filling
- 1 tablespoon pesto (homemade or store bought)
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup spinach, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F to prepare for baking the stuffed chicken breasts.
- Prepare chicken pockets: Using a sharp knife, carefully cut into the thicker side of each chicken breast, slicing almost through to the other side to create a pocket for the filling.
- Season chicken: Rub olive oil, salt, and crushed black pepper evenly over the outside of the chicken breasts to enhance flavor and moisture.
- Fill pockets with pesto: Spoon half a tablespoon of pesto into each chicken pocket and spread it evenly inside for a rich basil flavor.
- Add cheese and vegetables: Slice the mozzarella cheese into thick pieces and place them inside the pockets along with diced tomatoes and chopped spinach.
- Secure pockets: Use wooden skewers or toothpicks to close the chicken pockets securely, preventing the filling from leaking during cooking.
- Prepare baking dish: Grease a baking dish lightly with oil or butter and arrange the stuffed chicken breasts inside it.
- Bake chicken: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the chicken for 20 minutes until fully cooked and cheese is melted.
- Rest and serve: Remove the chicken from the oven, cover it and let it rest for 5 minutes to retain juices. Optionally, top with garlic butter or herb butter before serving for extra flavor.
Notes
- Ensure the chicken breasts are not cut all the way through to keep the pocket intact for the filling.
- Use fresh pesto or high-quality store-bought pesto for best flavor.
- Wooden skewers can be soaked in water for 10 minutes before use to avoid burning in the oven.
- Butter topping is optional but adds a nice richness to the finished dish.
- This recipe is low carb and high protein, making it suitable for healthy meal plans.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 368 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1097 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 55 g
- Cholesterol: 167 mg
