These Spinach Stuffed Chicken Thighs are an elegant yet simple weeknight meal. Juicy bone-in thighs are stuffed with a garlicky spinach and creamy cheese filling, then roasted until the skin is crispy and golden. This comforting dish delivers impressive flavor and texture in every bite of these Spinach Stuffed Chicken Thighs.
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Why You’ll Love This Spinach Stuffed Chicken Thighs
- Maximum Flavor: Simple stuffing process yields a special result.
- Texture Contrast: Crispy skin, juicy chicken, and creamy filling.
- Versatile Base: Easily adapt herbs, cheese, or add-ins.
- Any Occasion: Fancy enough for guests, easy enough for family.
Ingredients & Tools
- 4 large, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 250 g fresh spinach
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 120 g cream cheese, softened
- 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- To taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tools: A sharp paring knife, a medium mixing bowl, a skillet, kitchen twine or toothpicks, and a rimmed baking sheet.
Notes: Using bone-in, skin-on thighs is non-negotiable here—they stay so much juicier during the longer cooking time and the skin provides that essential crispy top. Don’t skip wilting the spinach first, either; it removes excess water so your filling isn’t soggy.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 420 kcal |
| Protein: | 35 g |
| Fat: | 29 g |
| Carbs: | 5 g |
| Fiber: | 2 g |
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Thighs are Your Friend. Honestly, they are so much more forgiving than chicken breasts for this kind of recipe. The higher fat content means they’re harder to overcook, and the bone helps conduct heat evenly, keeping the meat incredibly tender.
- Wring Out That Spinach! This is the most crucial step for the filling. After you wilt the spinach, let it cool slightly, then squeeze it in your fists or a clean tea towel over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible. A dry filling is a flavorful, non-watery filling.
- Bring Cheese to Room Temp. Let your cream cheese sit out for 20-30 minutes before you start. This makes it infinitely easier to mix smoothly with the other filling ingredients, preventing any lumpy bits.
- Don’t Be Shy with Seasoning. Season the chicken itself, not just the filling. Get some salt and pepper under the skin and on the flesh. This ensures every component is perfectly seasoned from the inside out.
How to Make Spinach Stuffed Chicken Thighs
Step 1: Prepare the Spinach Filling. Start by wilting your spinach. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in your skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh spinach in batches—it will look like a mountain at first but wilts down dramatically. Stir constantly until it’s all dark green and limp, which should only take 2-3 minutes. Transfer it to a colander and run cold water over it to stop the cooking. Once it’s cool enough to handle, take handfuls and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze over the sink until no more water drips out. You’ll be left with a tight, dark green ball. Chop this finely.
Step 2: Mix the Filling. In your mixing bowl, combine the squeezed and chopped spinach, softened cream cheese, grated Parmesan, egg yolk, minced garlic, oregano, and onion powder. Mix everything together with a fork until it’s fully incorporated. The mixture should be thick and hold its shape. Give it a taste and season well with salt and pepper. Set this aside while you work on the chicken.
Step 3: Prep the Chicken Thighs. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels—this is the secret to crispy skin. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully make a 2-inch horizontal slit in the thickest part of each thigh, right next to the bone. Gently use your fingers to loosen and create a pocket inside, being careful not to puncture the other side or separate the skin entirely.
Step 4: Stuff and Secure. Now for the fun part! Take a generous heaping tablespoon (or more) of your spinach filling and use your fingers or a small spoon to stuff it into the pocket you created in each chicken thigh. Don’t overfill it, or it might burst open during cooking. Once stuffed, you can secure the opening with a couple of toothpicks or tie each thigh with a piece of kitchen twine to help it hold its shape.
Step 5: Season and Roast. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the stuffed thighs on your rimmed baking sheet. Rub them all over with the tablespoon of olive oil. Now, be generous! Season the skin liberally with salt and pepper. You can even gently lift the skin and sprinkle a little salt directly on the meat for extra flavor. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
Step 6: Check for Doneness and Rest. The chicken is done when the skin is deep golden brown and crispy, and the internal temperature at the thickest part (avoiding the bone and filling) reads 75°C (165°F) on an instant-read thermometer. If the skin needs more color, you can pop it under the grill for a minute or two at the end. Once out of the oven, let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes on the pan. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring every bite is moist.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in fridge before reheating.
- Reviving: Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm to restore crispiness.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes — The ultimate comfort food pairing. The creamy potatoes are a perfect canvas for the rich, savory juices that run out of the chicken.
- Simple Roasted Asparagus — Toss asparagus spears in olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast them on the same pan as the chicken for the last 15 minutes. Easy and elegant.
- Buttered Herb Orzo — This small, rice-shaped pasta cooks quickly and soaks up all the delicious flavors from the chicken, making for a fantastic starchy side.
Drinks
- A Crisp Chardonnay — A lightly oaked Chardonnay has the body and slight creaminess to complement the rich cheese filling without overpowering the delicate chicken.
- Sparkling Water with Lemon — The bright, clean bubbles and citrus notes help cut through the richness of the dish, refreshing your palate between bites.
- An Amber Ale — The malty, caramel notes in a good amber ale pair wonderfully with the roasted, savory flavors of the chicken and its crispy skin.
Something Sweet
- Lemon Sorbet — After a rich meal, a scoop of tangy, refreshing lemon sorbet is the perfect palate cleanser. It’s light, zesty, and incredibly satisfying.
- Dark Chocolate Pots de Crème — For a truly decadent end, these rich, silky chocolate custards provide a deep, bitter-sweet contrast that feels luxurious.
- Simple Berry Salad — Just a mix of fresh berries with a tiny drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of mint. It’s fresh, light, and the natural sweetness is all you need.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Not squeezing the spinach enough. This is the number one reason for a watery, disappointing filling. That extra moisture will steam out during cooking, making the filling loose and potentially causing the chicken to steam instead of roast, resulting in soggy skin.
- Mistake: Overstuffing the chicken. It’s tempting to use all the delicious filling, but if you pack too much in, the pocket will likely split open during cooking. The filling will leak out and burn on the pan, and the chicken might not cook evenly.
- Mistake: Skipping the rest time. I know it’s hard to wait when it smells so good, but if you cut into the chicken immediately, the hot juices will just run out onto the cutting board. Letting it rest for a few minutes ensures those juices stay in the meat, keeping it succulent.
- Mistake: Using a glass baking dish. A rimmed baking sheet (or a roasting pan) is best because it allows air to circulate around the chicken, helping the skin crisp up. A crowded glass or ceramic dish can trap steam and make the skin rubbery.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Use an ice bath for the spinach. After wilting the spinach, plunge it into a bowl of ice water instead of just running cold tap water over it. This “shocks” it, stopping the cooking process instantly and helping it retain a vibrant green color.
- Tip: Add a textural crunch to the filling. For a little surprise, mix in a tablespoon of toasted pine nuts or finely chopped walnuts into your spinach and cheese mixture. It adds a wonderful nutty flavor and a bit of crunch in the creamy filling.
- Tip: Get the skin extra crispy. For the crispiest skin imaginable, you can pat the skin dry once more right before seasoning and place the chicken thighs in the fridge, uncovered, for 30 minutes before roasting. This air-dries the skin surface.
- Tip: Make a quick pan sauce. After removing the chicken from the baking sheet, pour off most of the fat. Place the sheet over a burner on medium heat, deglaze with a splash of white wine or chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in a knob of cold butter for a simple, delicious sauce.
FAQs
Can I make these Spinach Stuffed Chicken Thighs ahead of time?
Absolutely, you can prep them a few hours in advance. You can stuff the chicken thighs, secure them, and keep them covered in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours before you plan to cook them. This is a fantastic timesaver for a dinner party—just pop them in the oven when your guests arrive. Let them sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before roasting so they cook more evenly.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
You sure can! It’s actually a great shortcut. You’ll need one 250-gram block of frozen chopped spinach. Just make sure to thaw it completely—the best way is to leave it in the fridge overnight. Then, squeeze it even more aggressively than fresh spinach, as it holds a lot of water. Get it as dry as humanly possible for the best results.
What can I use instead of cream cheese?
If you’re not a fan of cream cheese, you have a few great options. Goat cheese (chèvre) would be lovely for a tangier flavor. Ricotta cheese works well too, but make sure to drain any excess liquid from it first. For a stronger flavor, a soft feta cheese, crumbled, would be a delicious substitute.
How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked without a thermometer?
While a thermometer is the most reliable method, you can also check by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with a knife or skewer, avoiding the bone. The juices that run out should be completely clear, not pink or red. The meat should also feel firm to the touch, not soft or jelly-like.
Can I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs?
You can, but the result will be quite different. Without the bone, the cooking time will be shorter, and without the skin, you’ll miss out on that fantastic crispy texture. If you do use boneless, skinless thighs, you can roll them around the filling and secure them with twine. Just reduce the cooking time and consider finishing them under the grill to get some color on the outside.
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Thighs
Learn how to make perfect Spinach Stuffed Chicken Thighs with crispy skin and creamy filling. This impressive yet easy dinner recipe is ready in under an hour. Get the recipe now!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
-
4 large, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
-
250 g fresh spinach
-
2 cloves garlic (minced)
-
120 g cream cheese (softened)
-
50 g grated Parmesan cheese
-
1 large egg yolk
-
1 tsp dried oregano
-
0.5 tsp onion powder
-
1 tbsp olive oil
-
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
-
Start by wilting your spinach. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in your skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh spinach in batches—it will look like a mountain at first but wilts down dramatically. Stir constantly until it’s all dark green and limp, which should only take 2-3 minutes. Transfer it to a colander and run cold water over it to stop the cooking. Once it’s cool enough to handle, take handfuls and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze over the sink until no more water drips out. You’ll be left with a tight, dark green ball. Chop this finely.01
-
In your mixing bowl, combine the squeezed and chopped spinach, softened cream cheese, grated Parmesan, egg yolk, minced garlic, oregano, and onion powder. Mix everything together with a fork until it’s fully incorporated. The mixture should be thick and hold its shape. Give it a taste and season well with salt and pepper. Set this aside while you work on the chicken.02
-
Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels—this is the secret to crispy skin. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully make a 2-inch horizontal slit in the thickest part of each thigh, right next to the bone. Gently use your fingers to loosen and create a pocket inside, being careful not to puncture the other side or separate the skin entirely.03
-
Take a generous heaping tablespoon (or more) of your spinach filling and use your fingers or a small spoon to stuff it into the pocket you created in each chicken thigh. Don’t overfill it, or it might burst open during cooking. Once stuffed, you can secure the opening with a couple of toothpicks or tie each thigh with a piece of kitchen twine to help it hold its shape.04
-
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the stuffed thighs on your rimmed baking sheet. Rub them all over with the tablespoon of olive oil. Now, be generous! Season the skin liberally with salt and pepper. You can even gently lift the skin and sprinkle a little salt directly on the meat for extra flavor. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.05
-
The chicken is done when the skin is deep golden brown and crispy, and the internal temperature at the thickest part (avoiding the bone and filling) reads 75°C (165°F) on an instant-read thermometer. If the skin needs more color, you can pop it under the grill for a minute or two at the end. Once out of the oven, let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes on the pan. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring every bite is moist.06
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