This Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken transforms simple chicken breasts into a spectacular, company-worthy meal. Juicy chicken is stuffed with a rich, herby cream cheese filling that melts into the meat as it bakes. It’s an elegant yet easy weeknight dinner that delivers impressive flavor with minimal effort.
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Why You’ll Love This Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken
- Impossible to overcook: The cream cheese filling keeps the chicken incredibly moist and juicy.
- Restaurant-quality flavor: Tangy, garlicky cream cheese creates a sophisticated, indulgent taste.
- Deceptively easy: Simple pocket-and-stuff technique is forgiving and quick to master.
- Versatile main course: Pairs beautifully with everything from greens to mashed potatoes.
Ingredients & Tools
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 150-180g each)
- 200 g full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 50 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Tools: A sharp paring knife, a medium mixing bowl, a baking sheet, and kitchen twine or toothpicks.
Notes: Full-fat cream cheese melts beautifully without separating. Freshly grated Parmesan avoids graininess from anti-caking agents.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 385 kcal |
| Protein: | 35 g |
| Fat: | 24 g |
| Carbs: | 3 g |
| Fiber: | 0.5 g |
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Get your cream cheese truly soft. Leave it on the counter for at least an hour before you begin. This makes it easy to whip into a smooth, spreadable filling that won’t tear your chicken pockets when you’re stuffing them.
- Don’t skip pounding the chicken. Even if your breasts look thin, giving them a few gentle whacks with a rolling pin or meat mallet does two things: it tenderizes the meat and creates a more uniform thickness, which means it cooks evenly all the way through.
- Be generous with the seasoning. Chicken breasts need a good amount of salt and pepper to really shine. Season both the outside of the chicken and the cream cheese filling itself. This builds layers of flavor from the inside out.
- Consider your cheese alternatives. While full-fat cream cheese is ideal, a garlic and herb flavored spreadable cheese can also work wonderfully here if you’re in a pinch—just taste it before adding extra salt.
How to Make Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). This gives it plenty of time to come to the right temperature while you prep the chicken. Take your softened cream cheese and place it in a medium mixing bowl. Add the grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped chives, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything together until it’s completely combined and smooth. You’ll notice the aroma is already fantastic—garlicky, herby, and cheesy all at once. Set this filling aside while you work on the chicken.
Step 2: Now, prepare your chicken breasts. Pat them completely dry with paper towels—this helps the exterior get a nice sear later. Place one breast on a cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully slice a deep pocket into the thickest side of the breast. Imagine you’re creating a little cave; you want to cut almost to the other side but not all the way through. A good trick is to hold the breast flat with your non-dominant hand and use a gentle sawing motion. Repeat with all the breasts.
Step 3: It’s time to stuff them! Take a generous tablespoon (or two) of your cream cheese mixture and, using a small spoon or your fingers, carefully stuff it into the pocket you created in each chicken breast. Don’t overfill it—you want to be able to seal it shut. If the filling starts oozing out, you’ve gone a bit too far. Once stuffed, you can secure the opening with a couple of toothpicks or a short piece of kitchen twine. This just helps everything stay tucked in during cooking.
Step 4: Drizzle the olive oil over the outside of the stuffed chicken breasts. Then, season the outside generously with more salt and black pepper, rubbing it all over to coat evenly. This will create a beautifully seasoned, golden-brown crust. Place the breasts on a baking sheet, making sure they aren’t touching each other so the heat can circulate properly.
Step 5: Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. The best way to check is with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken (but avoiding the cheese filling if you can)—it should read 74°C (165°F). The outside will be golden, and if you pierce the chicken, the juices should run clear. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before serving. This is a crucial step! It allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring maximum moistness when you slice into it.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze unbaked stuffed chicken tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw in fridge before baking.
- Reviving: Reheat gently in a 175°C (350°F) oven until warmed through to maintain moisture.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes — The creamy, buttery potatoes are the perfect vehicle for soaking up any cheesy, herby juices that escape from the chicken.
- Simple Roasted Asparagus — The slight bitterness and crisp-tender texture of asparagus provide a lovely contrast to the rich, creamy chicken.
- A Fresh Arugula Salad — Tossed with a sharp lemon vinaigrette, the peppery arugula cuts through the richness of the dish beautifully.
Drinks
- A Crisp Chardonnay — An unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay has enough body to stand up to the creamy filling but enough acidity to cleanse the palate.
- Sparkling Water with Lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the bubbles and citrus are incredibly refreshing against the savory, cheesy flavors.
- A Light Pale Ale — The slight hoppy bitterness of a pale ale can balance the fat content in the cheese and create a really satisfying pairing.
Something Sweet
- Lemon Sorbet — After a rich meal, a scoop of bright, tart lemon sorbet is the ultimate palate cleanser and feels wonderfully light.
- Dark Chocolate Truffles — Just one or two intense, rich truffles provide a decadent, yet small, finish that doesn’t overwhelm.
- Berry Crumble — The warm, fruity filling and buttery topping are a classic, comforting end to a meal centered around a hearty main course.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Using cold cream cheese. If your cream cheese is straight from the fridge, it will be too stiff to mix smoothly and you’ll end up tearing the delicate chicken as you try to force the lumpy filling inside.
- Mistake: Cutting the pocket all the way through. The goal is a pouch, not a hinge. If you slice completely through, you’ll have no way to contain that delicious filling and it will all melt out into the pan during baking.
- Mistake: Skipping the rest time. I know it’s tempting to dig right in, but if you slice the chicken immediately, the hot juices and cheese will just run out onto the plate. Letting it rest for five minutes allows the proteins to relax and reabsorb those liquids.
- Mistake: Overstuffing the breasts. More cheese isn’t always better. If you pack the pocket too full, the seam will burst open in the oven, and while it will still taste great, you’ll lose that beautiful surprise when you cut into it.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Create a flavor-packed crust. Before baking, try pressing the outside of the stuffed chicken into a mixture of panko breadcrumbs and a little extra grated Parmesan. This adds a wonderful, crunchy texture that contrasts the creamy interior.
- Tip: Add a touch of heat. If you like a little spice, mix a teaspoon of Calabrian chili paste or a pinch of red pepper flakes into the cream cheese filling. It creates a lovely, warm background heat that builds with each bite.
- Tip: Sear it first for extra color. For a truly restaurant-quality finish, heat an oven-safe skillet with a tablespoon of oil and sear the stuffed chicken for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown before transferring the entire skillet to the oven to finish cooking.
- Tip: Make it ahead for easy entertaining. You can fully assemble the stuffed chicken breasts, cover them, and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours before you need to bake them. This makes dinner party prep a total breeze.
FAQs
Can I use low-fat cream cheese?
You can, but I really don’t recommend it. Low-fat cream cheese has a higher water content and different stabilizers, which means it’s more likely to weep and separate during baking, resulting in a less creamy, potentially watery filling. The full-fat version provides the rich, stable, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes this dish so special. It’s worth the splurge for this recipe.
How do I know when the chicken is done without a thermometer?
If you don’t have a meat thermometer, the most reliable method is to make a small, deep cut into the thickest part of one chicken breast. The meat should be completely white all the way through with no traces of pink, and the juices should run clear, not pink. Visually, the outside should be a nice golden-brown color. The cheese filling will be hot and bubbly.
Can I freeze stuffed chicken breasts?
Yes, but with a caveat. It’s best to freeze them before baking. Assemble the stuffed chicken, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, and then place them in a freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before baking, and you may need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time since they’ll be very cold.
What can I use instead of toothpicks to seal them?
If you’re out of toothpicks, kitchen twine is a great alternative—just tie a little loop around the middle of the breast to hold the pocket closed. Alternatively, you can try to be very careful with your stuffing and not overfill, relying on the natural “seal” of the chicken as it cooks to keep most of the filling inside.
My cheese leaked out everywhere. What did I do wrong?
Don’t worry, this happens to the best of us! It usually means one of two things: the pocket was cut a little too wide or deep, creating a weak spot, or the chicken was overstuffed. A little leakage is normal, but a flood suggests the structural integrity was compromised. It will still taste delicious—just spoon that melted cheese right back over the top when you serve it!
Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Make juicy, elegant Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken with this easy recipe. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or special occasion. Get the simple steps now!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients & Tools
-
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 150-180g each)
-
200 g full-fat cream cheese (softened)
-
50 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
-
2 cloves garlic (minced)
-
2 tbsp fresh chives (finely chopped)
-
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
-
0.5 tsp smoked paprika
-
1 tbsp olive oil
-
Salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
-
First, preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). This gives it plenty of time to come to the right temperature while you prep the chicken. Take your softened cream cheese and place it in a medium mixing bowl. Add the grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped chives, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything together until it’s completely combined and smooth. You’ll notice the aroma is already fantastic—garlicky, herby, and cheesy all at once. Set this filling aside while you work on the chicken.01
-
Now, prepare your chicken breasts. Pat them completely dry with paper towels—this helps the exterior get a nice sear later. Place one breast on a cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully slice a deep pocket into the thickest side of the breast. Imagine you're creating a little cave; you want to cut almost to the other side but not all the way through. A good trick is to hold the breast flat with your non-dominant hand and use a gentle sawing motion. Repeat with all the breasts.02
-
It's time to stuff them! Take a generous tablespoon (or two) of your cream cheese mixture and, using a small spoon or your fingers, carefully stuff it into the pocket you created in each chicken breast. Don't overfill it—you want to be able to seal it shut. If the filling starts oozing out, you've gone a bit too far. Once stuffed, you can secure the opening with a couple of toothpicks or a short piece of kitchen twine. This just helps everything stay tucked in during cooking.03
-
Drizzle the olive oil over the outside of the stuffed chicken breasts. Then, season the outside generously with more salt and black pepper, rubbing it all over to coat evenly. This will create a beautifully seasoned, golden-brown crust. Place the breasts on a baking sheet, making sure they aren't touching each other so the heat can circulate properly.04
-
Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. The best way to check is with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken (but avoiding the cheese filling if you can)—it should read 74°C (165°F). The outside will be golden, and if you pierce the chicken, the juices should run clear. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before serving. This is a crucial step! It allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring maximum moistness when you slice into it.05
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