Simple chicken breasts get a flavorful upgrade with this spinach and feta stuffed chicken. Sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and salty feta cheese combine to make a delicious, creamy filling that will make tonight’s chicken dinner a special one.
This recipe was originally published on December 9, 2013, and was republished in July 2021 to add better quality photos, re-test the recipe, and add more helpful tips.
This is one of the most favorite chicken recipes in my house. My husband adores a good stuffed chicken breast, and it’s easy enough that I’m always up for it too!
These spinach and feta stuffed chicken breasts is one of the first recipes I ever shared here on the blog, and it’s still good today. The combination of the salty and creamy feta cheese, the sweetness of sun-dried tomato, and fresh greens is a delicious one and I promise, very easy.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe
- Very simple to prepare, one skillet, one bowl, one pan!
- Uses only 8 ingredients to build big flavor
- Delicious served with vegetable sides or salads, like my chickpea, avocado, and radish salad
- These baked stuffed chicken breasts can be prepared entirely in the oven, but a quick stovetop sear makes them extra delicious.
What We’re Stuffing and Seasoning With
With only 8 ingredients, and an optional ninth, this chicken is really easy to prepare. There’s minimal prep needed for each ingredient, making this a quick recipe.
- Chicken breast – boneless and skinless for this recipe, though thighs can also work.
- Garlic clove – push through a garlic press to make this easiest to spread on our chicken.
- Lemon juice – just half a lemon should give you the right amount of juice.
- Pepper – I always recommend freshly ground.
- Fresh spinach – just a large handful is all we need. It won’t wilt as quickly and has a slightly stronger flavor, but kale could also be used as a green for the filling.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – they’re a lovely sweet addition to dishes like this one, or my chicken artichoke pasta. Don’t skip these!
- Feta cheese – Choose a quality, crumbly feta. Substituting for feta is difficult, but in a pinch a well drained ricotta seasoned to taste with salt can work as a creamy swap.
- Olive oil – we’ll need just enough to get our spinach tender and perfect.
Although optional, I want to mention coconut oil! I love to brown my feta stuffed chicken first in a little melted coconut oil. You can use any cooking oil you have if you don’t have it.
Instructions
To get your chicken breasts stuffed and cooked, start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Also, prepare a baking dish lined with foil and coat lightly with oil.
Prep your chicken first by cutting a slit in the side of each breast to create a pocket. Be careful not to cut through them. Then season the outside of the chicken with the pepper, lemon juice, and garlic.
Next we’ll prepare the filling by heating the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. You can use the same pan you will for the chicken. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, then transfer it to a bowl with the feta cheese and chopped sun dried tomatoes. Wipe the plan clean if any sticks.
Mix the filling and then stuff half into each of the chicken breasts. Secure the opening with a toothpick. If you’re searing the chicken first, heat the skillet over medium high heat and melt the coconut oil. If you’re baking only, go ahead and place them on the baking sheet and pop them in the oven right away.
Once your stuffed chicken breasts are browned on both sides remove it from the pan and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until cooked through.
Storage and Prepping Ahead
If there are any leftovers, just store them in the fridge and enjoy for up to 4 days. I also love this recipe for meal prep. Stuff the chicken breasts the day before and make sure they’re tightly wrapped or covered in the fridge, then simply bake when you’re ready.
Stuffed chicken breasts also freeze well, both baked and unbaked. If baked, simply freeze after they’ve completely cooled and then thaw and reheat to enjoy.
For unbaked stuffed chicken, simply freeze after stuffing for up to 3 months. To prepare, either allow to thaw completely in the fridge for at least a day then bake as directed, or bake from frozen for closer to 30 to 35 minutes.
I can’t wait to hear how much you love these stuffed chicken breasts. They’re really delicious, beautiful to slice into, and surprisingly easy. Don’t forget about all the other stuffed chicken inspiration on the blog!
- Mozzarella Pesto Stuffed Chicken Thighs
- Baked Chicken Kiev
- Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Stuffed Chicken
- Baked Chicken Nuggets stuffed with Mozzarella
- Prune Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 large handful of fresh spinach
- 3 sun-dried tomatoes , chopped
- 6 oz. (170g) feta cheese , crumbled finely
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil , for frying (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil and spray with nonstick spray.
- With a sharp knife, cut a slit in the side of each breast to form a pocket. Rub chicken breast halves with pepper, garlic, dried basil and lemon juice.
- Heat a skillet with the olive oil over medium heat, add the spinach and saute until wilted. Remove from heat.
- In a bowl, mix together the wilted spinach, feta cheese, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Stuff the mixture into chicken breasts and secure with toothpicks.
- In skillet, over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil and brown chicken on all sides. Remove.
- Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and cook for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove toothpicks and serve.
7 Comments
Susan
January 29, 2017 at 9:18 pmCould this be made the day before?
Jovita
January 30, 2017 at 7:50 amI don’t see why you couldn’t, Susan. But I would recommend to cover it with plastic wrap or foil to keep from drying out. If we are talking about uncooked one here 🙂
Tracy
November 26, 2018 at 9:33 pmI’ve made this quite a few times now. It is a favorite at our house! Thank you for posting, it is easy and delicious.
Jovita
February 23, 2021 at 2:11 pmI’m so happy to hear it, Tracy!
Robin G.
September 22, 2022 at 12:09 pmThis chicken came out great. I served some pilaf with it and the whole family cleaned their plates.
Tara
September 22, 2022 at 1:07 pmSuch a fantastic meal! The chicken sounds so good with the addition of the spinach and feta. I love how it comes together in less than an hour too.
Aimee Mars
September 22, 2022 at 1:13 pmIncredible! My entire family devoured it and the kids even asked for seconds. Will be adding this to our rotation!