These spinach stuffed chicken breasts feature a cheesy filling made with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, wilted spinach, and crispy bacon! They are elegant enough for a special occasion and easy enough for weeknight family dinners! So, if you're tired of the same old chicken breast recipes, this is a great way to switch things up!
Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
I keep a few chicken breasts in the freezer at all times, and I'm always looking for new ways to make them exciting. As much as I love simple baked chicken breasts or air fryer chicken breasts, sometimes I feel like they need a little more oomph!
These chicken breasts are stuffed with creamy bacon and spinach filling and tons of melted cheese. If you're feeling bored with plain old chicken breasts, this recipe will ignite your love for them again!
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🥘 Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts Ingredients
I usually have most of these ingredients on hand and only have to grab some spinach, cream cheese, and bacon from the store. The seasonings will be combined to make a seasoning blend and then divided into two equal parts.
- Chicken Breasts - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Bacon - 2 strips of thick-cut bacon cooked and chopped. Reserve the grease in the pan.
- Spinach - 3 cups of fresh spinach, chopped.
- Seasonings - 1 teaspoon of both salt & pepper (to taste), ½ tablespoon of Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of onion powder or an onion powder substitute, and ½ teaspoon of paprika or a paprika substitute.
- Cream Cheese - 4 ounces (half a block) of cream cheese softened at room temperature.
- Cheddar Cheese - 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
When slicing the chicken, be sure not to cut all the way through as if you were butterflying it. You just want to make a pocket for the filling. Grab a knife, measuring utensils, 2 small bowls, a mixing bowl, a spatula, and a 9x13 baking dish to get started.
I typically plan on serving 1 stuffed chicken breast per person, so 4 chicken breasts are 4 servings.
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (452 grams) dry with paper towels, then slice them open along part of 1 side to form a pocket. Set aside.
- Cook the bacon. Cook 2 strips (44 grams) of bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Then, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to cool slightly before chopping it into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Wilt the spinach. Add 3 cups (90 grams) of fresh chopped spinach to the pan with the bacon grease and cook until wilted (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Make the seasoning blend. Add 1 teaspoon (6 grams) each of salt & pepper, ½ tablespoon (2.5 grams) of Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of onion powder, and ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of paprika to a small bowl and stir to combine. Divide the seasoning into two equal parts.
- Make the filling. In a separate mixing bowl, add the softened 4 ounces (114 grams) of softened cream cheese, 1 cup (113 grams) of grated cheddar cheese, the chopped bacon, wilted spinach, and HALF of the seasoning blend from the previous step. Stir to combine.
- Stuff and season the chicken. Stuff each chicken breast with the spinach and cream cheese mixture until you have used it all. Then, season the breasts on all sides with the remaining seasoning blend.
- Bake. Put the cream cheese-stuffed chicken breasts into a 9x13 baking dish and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and no pink remains.
- Rest and serve. Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.
🥗 Best Sides For Spinach Stuffed Chicken
Serve your stuffed chicken breasts with any of your favorite chicken dinner sides! You can never go wrong with baked potatoes and a green vegetable like steamed broccoli or pan-fried asparagus. Enjoy!
Check out my pages on what to serve with chicken and what to serve with baked chicken for more great side dish ideas!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- If you want to leave out the bacon, substitute the bacon grease with ½-1 tablespoon of cooking oil.
- You want to use fresh spinach for this recipe when possible. It holds up the best to baking and has significantly less moisture than frozen spinach.
- If you are worried about the filling melting out of the chicken breasts, you can secure them with toothpicks or kitchen twine before baking.
- For the juiciest chicken, be careful not to overcook it. The safe internal temperature for cooked chicken is 165°F (74°C).
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Once your stuffed chicken breasts have cooled to room temperature, they can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
You can freeze the stuffed chicken breasts before or after baking (just let them cool off first). Place the stuffed chicken breasts into a heavy-duty freezer bag and remove as much air as possible.
Seal tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Place the stuffed chicken breasts in a baking dish and cover with foil. Reheat in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
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❓ FAQ
Yes, you can use frozen spinach, but for the best flavor and texture, I recommend using fresh spinach. If you do use frozen spinach, you will need to thaw it and squeeze out as much water as you can. You will only need about half as much frozen spinach as you would fresh spinach.
You can mix other ingredients like chopped sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, or sauteed onions into the cream cheese filling. You can also leave out the bacon entirely or swap it for pancetta or diced ham!
Yes, you can prepare the spinach and cream cheese filling and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before making your stuffed chicken breasts. Make sure to stir the filling before stuffing the chicken.
🐔 🍗 😋More Great Chicken Breast Recipes
- Million Dollar Baked Chicken Breasts - These chicken breasts topped with bacon and 3 kinds of cheese taste like a million bucks!
- Marry Me Chicken - An easy one-pan chicken dinner featuring a creamy sun-dried tomato and Parmesan cheese sauce!
- Chicken Marsala - Classic Italian comfort food with thin pan-fried chicken breasts slathered in a mushroom wine sauce!
- Shredded Chicken Tacos - Celebrate Taco Tuesday with some flavorful shredded chicken tacos!
- Bisquick Chicken and Dumplings - True Southern comfort food with tender chicken, fluffy dumplings, and lots of tasty veggies in a chicken broth.
- Chicken Parmesan Pizza - Impress your guests with a homemade chicken Parm pizza with crispy sliced chicken cutlets on top!
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📋 Recipe
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 strips bacon (thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped, reserve the grease)
- 3 cups spinach (fresh, chopped)
- 1 teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened, at room temperature)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then slice them open along part of 1 side to form a pocket. Set aside.4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Cook 2 strips bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Then, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to cool slightly before chopping it into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.2 strips bacon
- Add 3 cups spinach to the pan with the bacon grease and cook until wilted (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat.3 cups spinach
- Add 1 teaspoon each, salt & pepper, ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon paprika to a small bowl and stir to combine. Divide the seasoning into two equal parts.1 teaspoon each, salt & pepper, ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika
- In a separate mixing bowl, add the softened 4 oz cream cheese , 1 cup cheddar cheese, the chopped bacon, wilted spinach, and HALF of the seasoning blend from the previous step. Stir to combine.4 oz cream cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese
- Stuff each chicken breast with the spinach and cream cheese mixture until you have used it all. Then, season the breasts on all sides with the remaining seasoning blend.
- Put the cream cheese-stuffed chicken breasts into a 9x13 baking dish and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and no pink remains.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- If you want to leave out the bacon, substitute the bacon grease with ½-1 tablespoon of cooking oil.
- You want to use fresh spinach for this recipe when possible. It holds up the best to baking and has significantly less moisture than frozen spinach.
- If you are worried about the filling melting out of the chicken breasts, you can secure them with toothpicks or kitchen twine before baking.
- For the juiciest chicken, be careful not to overcook it. The safe internal temperature for cooked chicken is 165°F (74°C).
- To store: Once your stuffed chicken breasts have cooled to room temperature, they can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- To freeze: You can freeze the stuffed chicken breasts before or after baking (just let them cool off first). Place the stuffed chicken breasts into a heavy-duty freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Seal tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To reheat: Place the stuffed chicken breasts in a baking dish and cover with foil. Reheat in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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