This Ricotta Spinach Stuffed Chicken is a delicious one pot meal that's perfect for a family dinner. Tender and juicy chicken breasts are stuffed full with a cheesy spinach mixture, and then roasted with tomatoes.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- This recipe is easy enough for a busy weeknight but also gourmet enough to make for guests.
- You only need simple ingredients, so you don't have to worry about spending a lot of money at the grocery store.
- This baked chicken recipe is also so easy to make that even beginners can make it.
Ingredient List
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- fresh baby spinach
- ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- fresh garlic cloves
- dried oregano
- black pepper
- salt
- boneless skinless chicken breasts
- cherry tomatoes
- olive oil
- fresh parsley
Equipment
- Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- Cutting Board
- knife
- Measuring Spoons and Cups
- Large oven safe skillet
Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a mixing bowl combine the baby spinach, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Lay the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board and make a horizontal cut through the center of each, creating a pocket without cutting all the way through.
- Stuff each chicken breast with about tablespoons of the ricotta-spinach mixture, ensuring an even distribution.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the stuffed chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Scatter the halved cherry tomatoes around the chicken in the skillet.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Eileen's Tips for Success
- If you don't have baby spinach, you can use regular spinach, just give it a rough chop before adding it to the ricotta mixture.
- Don't cut the chicken breasts all the way through. The chicken needs a pocket in the middle and one side of the chicken needs to remain closed.
- Use a cast iron skillet or any oven-safe skillet for this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken so be cooked until it reaches 165°F. When you are cooking stuffed breasts, make sure that you check the temperature of the actual chicken and not the ricotta mixture.
It's natural for some of the cheese mixture will ooze out of the chicken breasts. If you want to try to prevent that, you can use toothpicks to hold the slit side of the chicken together while they bake.
Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe? Here are some ways to change the flavor of this dish.
- If your family likes a touch of heat, you can add some crushed red pepper flakes to your ricotta mixture for a little heat.
- Does your family love cheese? Try adding some additional mozzarella and parmesan to the top of the chicken breasts in the last 5 minutes of cooking for even more cheesy goodness.
Make ahead, storage, and freezer tips
Storage - Store leftover ricotta stuffed chicken breasts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these tender chicken breasts with a salad of potatoes such as these Homemade Mashed Potatoes or Oven Roasted Potatoes. You can also pair it with a green side dish such as these Brussels Sprouts with Prosciutto.
Similar recipes
Are you looking for more chicken recipes? If so, next time add one of these recipes to your meal plan.
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Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
📖 Recipe
Ricotta Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients
Spinach Ricotta Stuffing
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach chopped
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Chicken Breasts
- 4(5) ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts Note 1
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- fresh parsley chopped, optional garnish
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine 1 cup chopped baby spinach, 1 cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Lay the (4) 5-ounce chicken breasts flat on a cutting board and make a horizontal cut through the center of each, creating a pocket without cutting all the way through.
- Season the chicken breasts with ⅓ teaspoon salt and ⅓ teaspoon black pepper.
- Stuff each chicken breast with the ricotta-spinach mixture, ensuring an even distribution.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the stuffed chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Scatter 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes around the chicken in the skillet.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
- Serve the Ricotta Spinach Stuffed Chicken hot, with the roasted cherry tomatoes. Optional, garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
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