This cream cheese stuffed chicken breast is stuffed in a delicious cream cheese spinach mixture with garlic, onion, crispy bacon, and melty cheese, making for a mouth-watering chicken dish!
Delicious Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
There’s no better way to amp up the flavor of your chicken than stuffing it with a bunch of tasty ingredients. And that includes CHEESE!
Cream cheese acts as the PERFECT filling base for chicken, and we’ve mixed it with bacon slices, spinach, and more cheese for a delicious flavor that will be a big hit at the dinner table.
What’s also great about using cream cheese is that its neutral flavor will taste great with a variety of different ingredients.
So, if you’d rather swap out stuffing ingredients for other veggies and cheeses, go for it! There are many ways to make this recipe your own.
why you’ll love it!
- STUFFED with lots of creamy, cheesy, and savory flavors.
- Great for meal prep!
- You can customize the filling to your liking.
- Makes for a delicious dinner on special occasions.
Featured Ingredients
Bacon: the bacon adds a smokey, savory flavor that perfectly balances with the cream cheese.
Garlic & onion: used as a flavorful base for spinach and the cream cheese filling.
Spinach: we used fresh spinach for this recipe, but frozen spinach works fine if thawed and squeezed dry.
Cream cheese: cream cheese is what ties everything together. Be sure to soften your cream cheese before using it.
Crushed red pepper: adds a little kick of heat for a more well-rounded flavor profile.
Monterey jack cheese: this is a great melty cheese that boosts the stuffed chicken flavor and texture.
Eggs: a necessary ingredient for making the breadcrumb coating.
Chicken breast: we used chicken breast in this recipe, but you are more than welcome to use chicken thighs.
Panko crumbs: we find that panko provides the crispiest crust.
Parmesan cheese: we mixed Parmesan cheese with the panko breadcrumbs for an even cheesier taste!
How to Make Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
PREHEAT OVEN
Preheat the oven to 400℉ and spray a baking sheet heavily with cooking spray. Set aside.
COOK BACON
Place a large skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon for about 5-8 minutes. Remove the bacon from the skillet, reserving the bacon grease, and set the bacon on paper towels to drain.
COOK VEGGIES
In the same skillet, add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Then, add the garlic and spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes. The spinach should shrink to about ¼ of its size. Transfer the spinach mixture to a large bowl.
MAKE FILLING
Chop up the bacon and add it to the spinach. Then, add salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, cream cheese, and Monterey jack cheese to the bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix until well combined. Set aside.
how to butterfly a chicken breast
- Place one hand on top of the chicken breast and use the other to hold the knife.
- Then, gently cut into the thickest side of the chicken, but stop before you cut all the way through.
- The top and bottom should stay together but be able to open in a butterfly shape.
STUFF CHICKEN
Carefully cut a slit into the thickest side of each chicken breast. Add ⅓ cup of the cream cheese mixture. Set aside.
COAT IN BREADCRUMBS
Next, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Add the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese to a plate and gently mix.
Roll the stuffed chicken breast into the eggs and then roll through the breadcrumbs. Place on the baking sheet and drizzle each chicken breast with olive oil.
BAKE STUFFED CHICKEN
Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165℉. Allow 5 minutes of rest time before eating.
Internal Temperature for Chicken
You know when your stuffed breast is cooked when the internal temperature of the chicken is 165ºF. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 165ºF.
What to Serve with Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken
These cream cheese stuffed chicken breasts are great on their own, but they taste even better with some delicious sides!
We recommend any of the following sides and salads from our sister site, Fit Foodie Finds:
SIDES
SALADS
- Chicken Caesar Salad
- Farro Salad with Kale and Butternut Squash
- Apple Burrata Salad
- Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
How to soften cream cheese
Looking for a quick method to soften cream cheese? Check out our post – How to Soften Cream Cheese – 4 Ways! Here you’ll learn 4 unique (and quick!) methods to soften cream cheese to the perfect amount for baking and cooking.
How do you keep the cream cheese from oozing out of stuffed chicken?
You shouldn’t have too much difficulty with this. But if you want to be extra careful, you can always cut along the folded edge of the chicken breast so that the top and bottom are separate.
Then, seal the chicken breasts with toothpicks or cooking string. This way, you won’t have tension trying to pull the top piece away.
Top Tips
- Try to use chicken breasts with the same thickness so they can cook evenly.
- You’re welcome to experiment with different fillings such as diced tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, etc.
- Be sure to allow your cream cheese to soften to room temperature. This will make mixing the filling a lot easier.
Storage
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
To freeze your chicken, allow your stuffed breasts to cool completely before wrapping each chicken breast in plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, loosely wrap your stuffed chicken in aluminum foil with a splash of water inside. Then place them in the oven to bake for 10-20 minutes at 375°F.
Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 8 oz. medium-cut bacon
- ¼ large yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 5 oz. fresh spinach
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 oz. shredded monterey jack cheese ~1 cup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 lbs. chicken breast
- 1 cup panko crumbs
- 2 oz. grated parmesan cheese ~½ cup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and spray a baking sheet heavily with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon. About 5-8 minutes. Remove the bacon from the skillet, reserving the bacon grease, and set the bacon on paper towels to drain.
- In the same skillet, add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Then, add the garlic and spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes. The spinach should shrink to about ¼ of its size. Transfer the spinach mixture to a large bowl.
- Chop up the bacon and add it to the spinach. Then, add salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, cream cheese, and Monterey jack cheese to the bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix until well combined. Set aside.
- Carefully cut a slit into the thickest side of each chicken breast. Add ⅓ cup of the cream cheese mixture. Set aside.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Add the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese to a plate and gently mix. Roll the stuffed chicken breast into the eggs and then roll through the breadcrumbs. Place on the baking sheet. Drizzle each chicken breast with olive oil.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165℉. Allow 5 minutes of rest time before serving.
Tips & Notes
- Breadcrumbs or crumbled cornflakes can be used in place of panko crumbs.
