Stuffing Stuffed Chicken Breast

A plate with two pieces of stuffed chicken breast, showcasing a golden crispy exterior and a savory filling. Served alongside sautéed green beans and thinly sliced carrots.

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5 from 7 votes

Stuffing Stuffed Chicken Breast

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 402kcal

Author: Agnieszka

Ingredients

Chicken breasts

3 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts or 4 large breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
½ teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoon olive oil divided

Stuffing

6 oz Stovetop Stuffing chicken or turkey flavor (1 package)
1 celery stalk diced small
½ medium onion diced small
3 tablespoon butter
1 ½ cup boiling water

Gravy (optional)

3 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Stuffing

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet with a tall rim. Add diced onions and celery and cook on medium low until softened, about 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Don't brown.
Turn off the heat, add Stove Top stuffing mix and 1 ½ cups of boiling water. Stir to mix and set aside for 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork.

For the chicken breasts

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut each of the four chicken breasts lengthwise to form a pocket. Be careful not to cut all the way.
Place the chicken breasts in a large mixing bowl, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle the meat with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion garlic and paprika. Gently mix the meat and spices using a spoon or your hands. Make sure to season both the outside and inside of the chicken breasts.
Place ¼ of the prepared stuffing inside each chicken breast. Close the pocket and secure the cut side with 2-3 toothpicks.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an oven proof skillet (I use a cast iron skillet) and saute the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side over medium heat.
Then, transfer the skillet with chicken breasts in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken breast.
Trasfer the meat onto a platter and cover with aluminum foil.

For the gravy

Place butter in the now empty skillet. Melt over medium low heat, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet (that's flavor!).
Add flour, stir and cook for a minute whisking the mixture with a metal or silicone whisk.
Pour in 1 cup of broth and whisk over low heat until thickened and smooth. Then add another cup of broth. Keep whisking until gravy is thickened and bubbly.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
When ready to serve, remove toothpicks from chicken breasts, cut them in halves or into thick slices and serve with hot gravy on the side.

Notes

You will need a fairly large skillet to fit all 4 chicken breasts. Mine only fit 3 so I ended up using 2 separate cast iron skillets.

If you don't have an oven proof skillet, you can transfer the seared breasts to a baking tray or a pyrex dish and finish cooking the chicken in the oven.

Cutting the chicken to create a pocket can be a bot intimidating. The best way to do so is to place the chicken breast on a cutting board, put your hand on top to keep it in place, then slice it in the middle of thickest part on the long side to about ⅔ way in. Don't cut it all the way to the other side.

You don't have to use the toothpicks to close the chicken breasts but I find that they help the chicken maintain its shape and prevent the stuffing from spilling out.

If you accidentally cut too far or slice through the bottom, don't worry - you can close any cuts with more toothpicks. Just remember to take them out once the chicken is cooked.

If your chicken breasts are smaller than 12oz, they may take less time to cook. You may also use less stuffing - a whole box of Stovetop makes quite a lot!

Making gravy is optional but highly recommended!

Nutritional information is for ½ stuffed chicken breast with a serving of gravy.

Nutrition