Description
This recipe features juicy chicken breasts stuffed with a creamy blend of cheddar, cream cheese, broccoli, red bell pepper, and bacon, seasoned with a flavorful spice rub and perfectly seared then baked to tender perfection. It makes a delicious and wholesome main course perfect for a comforting family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 medium chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons low sodium chicken broth
Spice Rub
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Filling
- 1 cup small chopped broccoli florets
- 1 heaping packed cup (4 oz.) freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 5 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/4 cup cooked, chopped bacon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to prepare for baking the stuffed chicken breasts.
- Steam Broccoli: In a microwave-safe bowl, add broccoli florets with 2 tablespoons of water, cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes. Drain excess water.
- Prepare Filling: Push steamed broccoli to one side of the bowl and add shredded cheddar, cream cheese, diced red bell pepper, cooked bacon, dried parsley, chives, and dill to the other side. Whisk together the spice rub and add 1 teaspoon of it to the filling mix. Thoroughly mix cream cheese side ingredients then fold in broccoli.
- Tenderize Chicken: Place chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Gently pound to tenderize, then remove wrap and pat dry with paper towels.
- Create Pocket: Slice through the thicker side of each chicken breast horizontally to form a deep pocket without cutting all the way through.
- Stuff Chicken: Fill each pocket with the prepared filling, using your hand to squeeze and stuff it inside. Secure with toothpicks if filling falls out.
- Season Chicken: Evenly sprinkle and pat the remaining spice rub on all sides of each stuffed chicken breast.
- Sear Chicken: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking, add olive oil and swirl. Sear two breasts at a time for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and repeat with remaining chicken.
- Bake Chicken: Return all chicken breasts to the skillet and pour in 3 tablespoons chicken broth carefully. Cover with foil and transfer skillet to the preheated oven. If skillet is not oven safe, transfer to a 9x13 baking dish.
- Cook and Rest: Bake for 17 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F for the chicken flesh. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes to allow temperature to rise to 165°F before serving.
Notes
- For crispy bacon, bake it in the oven while prepping the chicken for easy, hands-off cooking and less mess.
- You can prepare and stuff chicken breasts ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 24 hours. Allow them to come to room temperature 20 minutes before cooking for even heat distribution.
- Adjust cooking times if using chilled or thawed-from-frozen chicken to ensure proper internal temperature.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check chicken doneness to ensure safe cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
