Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Chicken (Print Version)
Juicy chicken breasts filled with broccoli and cheeses, baked until golden for a creamy, low-carb main.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon paprika
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Filling
07 - 1 cup broccoli florets, finely chopped
08 - 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
10 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease the surface.
02 - In a small bowl, blend together garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
03 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep pocket into each breast without slicing through.
04 - Rub each chicken breast with olive oil and generously apply the prepared seasoning mix to the exterior and interior pockets.
05 - In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine chopped broccoli, shredded cheddar cheese, cream cheese, grated Parmesan, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic.
06 - Fill each chicken breast pocket with the broccoli-cheese mixture, securing the opening with toothpicks if necessary.
07 - Place the stuffed chicken breasts onto the prepared baking sheet, seam side up.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F and cheese is bubbling.
09 - Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Carefully remove any toothpicks prior to plating.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This dish sneaks a full serving of veggies into something comfortingly cheesy and hearty.
- Cleanup is a breeze and the flavor is the kind that gets requested again and again.
02 -
- If you overstuff the chicken, the gooey filling will leak all over your baking sheet and may burn — less is more.
- Switching to a sharper cheese like extra-aged cheddar made a huge difference in both flavor and texture.
03 -
- Letting the filling sit at room temperature for a few minutes makes it much easier to stuff without tearing the chicken.
- For an extra-crisp crust, sprinkle a dash of Parmesan over the chicken before baking.