Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken Breast

My spinach and feta stuffed chicken breast is like juicy chicken stuffed with spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) and is ready in under an hour. I love recipes like this one because they’re quick and easy, can be made ahead, and are good for a busy weeknight, yet elegant enough for a dinner party. What could be better?

This recipe is a great one when you’re cooking for two or if you need a lot. When I was recipe testing, I couldn’t decide between the tomato sauce and the lemon caper sauce, so I made both. They were both flavorful but different. The tomato sauce added a hint of sweetness, and the lemon caper sauce brightened everything up, adding another layer of flavor. To make sure you don’t miss a thing, I’m sharing both!

Why is this the best chicken?

Stuffed with creamy, Herby, oniony, spinach

Spanakopita filling topped with Hearty, rich, tangy tomato sauce or Lucious lemony caper butter sauce.

What ingredients do I need for this chicken?

Chicken breasts -boneless, skinless works best to save you time from deboning. See the video below to see how I cut a pocket to stuff.

Olive oil -I always use a great-tasting olive oil to coat the chicken and cook it in.

Balsamic glaze -this is a thicker glaze or dressing than balsamic vinegar that’s been cooked down longer. It’s sweeter and even more robust in flavor. If you don’t have any, combine some regular balsamic vinegar with about a tablespoon of honey for a similar taste and consistency.

Oregano -adds a delicious, earthy herbiness to the chicken, complementing the flavors of the filling.

Ground coriander -adds warm, slightly sweet, nutty, earthiness to the chicken.

Salt & pepper -the dynamic duo that seasons the chicken before you stuff it.

Cumin -pairs perfectly with coriander because of its similar warm, nutty flavors, but it adds a hint of citrus.

What do I need to make the filling?

Baby spinach leaves -roughly chopped to help wilt as you add them to the pan in batches.

Olive oil -your favorite oil to sauté the onions, garlic, and spinach, while adding rich flavor.

Scallions -finely chopped down to the white parts and swirled in a bowl of cool water to remove any dirt.

Garlic cloves – I keep my garlic cloves already grated and in the freezer, so I can break off a little whenever I need it.

Salt and pepper – season each batch of spinach you add to the pan so it all tastes amazing.

Feta cheese -be sure to get the blocks of feta for the best flavor. My favorite is sheep’s milk feta.

Cream cheese -or ricotta cheese if you prefer. It helps bind everything in the filling together, creating a thick creaminess.

What kind of tomato sauce do I need?

Marinara sauce -there are a ton of sauces out there, and by now, you’ve figured out which is your favorite. It’s a quick shortcut to an easy sauce, so use the one you love.

What do I need to make my own tomato sauce?

Onion -finely chop to caramelize and almost disappear into the sauce.

Garlic cloves -grated or minced to give every bite a garlicky flavor.

Canned tomatoes -pureed, or you can use canned crushed tomatoes.

Sugar -or honey, to balance out the acidity from the canned tomatoes.

Dried oregano -gives the sauce the perfect amount of earthy, sweet herbiness.

Salt and pepper -add to your taste preference, but tomatoes love both. So, go slow.

Crushed red pepper flakes -kicks it up a bit with a touch of heat, but this is optional.

What are the ingredients for the lemon caper sauce?

Pan drippings -once your chicken is cooked, remove each piece from the pan to carefully collect the drippings.

Butter -combined with the drippings to create the most silky, luscious sauce to pour over the chicken.

Garlic cloves -grated or minced to melt into the sauce and add a ton of garlic flavor.

Lemon juice -always juice from real lemons because the stuff in the bottle is for cleaning.

Chicken broth -thins the sauce to the perfect consistency while adding more chicken flavor.

Capers -adds a ton of briny citrus flavor.

How do I prepare the chicken?

Cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast. Drizzle some olive oil and balsamic glaze over the chicken breast. Then, season the chicken all around and inside the pocket with salt, pepper, a dusting of cumin, coriander, and oregano. Set aside in a baking tray.

Do I need to cook anything for the filling?

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200 °C). Place the scallions in a pan with olive oil over medium-high heat and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and warm through about 30 seconds. Then, add the spinach and cook until it is wilted and the liquid has mostly evaporated—about 8 minutes.

What about the cheese?

Place the feta in a large mixing bowl and mash it with a fork until smooth. Add the cream cheese or ricotta cheese and mix until well combined. Season with black pepper and add the mint, along with the spinach mixture, and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

How do I stuff the chicken?

Stuff each pocket in the chicken breast with about a half cup of the filling, and press the top of the pocket together to “seal” in the filling.

Do I need to sear the chicken?

Place the chicken in an ovenproof pan such as a cast-iron skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and remove it from the heat.

What if I want to make my own marinara for this dish?

To make your own homemade marinara sauce, heat the olive oil with the onions over medium heat and cook until soft and golden. Add the garlic and warm it through, then add all the remaining ingredients to simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

How do I bake the dish with marinara?

If you are making this dish with the tomato sauce, pour as much of the marinara sauce as desired into the pan. It should cover the chicken 1/3-1/2 of the way up from the bottom of the pan. Bake in the preheated oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74 °C). The time required depends on the thickness of the chicken cutlets. Thicker chicken takes about 18 minutes to bake. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

What if I want to use the lemon caper sauce?

If you are serving the chicken with the lemon-caper sauce, simply bake the stuffed chicken in the oven without any sauce. As soon as it is ready, remove the chicken from the oven and transfer it to a plate, then cover it with foil.

How do I make lemon caper sauce?

Place the skillet that the chicken was baked in over medium heat and add the butter. Once it melts, add the garlic and immediately add the lemon juice. Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and bring to a boil. Add the capers and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Can I make spinach and feta stuffed chicken breast ahead?

Assemble and fill the chicken, and place the tray in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. This can be done a day ahead. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before cooking. About 1-2 hours.

Can I double this recipe?

If you’re making a large batch (8-12, or more), you may skip the step of pan-frying one side of the chicken and simply bake it in a large pan (or two) until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.

What’s the best way to serve spinach and feta stuffed chicken breast?

Serve this with some toasted bread, pasta, or roasted vegetables. Enjoy!

Do you have more spinach and feta recipes?

Ingredients

• 5 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
• olive oil
• balsamic glaze
• oregano
• ground coriander
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cumin
• Dried oregano

For the filling:

• 1-pound baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4-5 scallions, finely chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, grated
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 6 ounces feta cheese
• 5 ounces cream cheese or ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

For the tomato sauce:

• 1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce

For Homemade Marinara Sauce:

• 1 small onion
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 28 ounces canned tomatoes, pureed
• ½ teaspoon sugar or honey
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

For the Lemon-Caper Sauce:

• Pan drippings
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 2-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2-3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons capers, or less

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200 °C.
• Cut a pocket into each chicken breast. Drizzle some olive oil and balsamic glaze over the chicken breast. Season the chicken all around and inside the pocket with salt, pepper, a dusting of cumin, coriander, and oregano. Set aside in a baking tray.
• Place the scallions with the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook until they soften. About 3 minutes.
• Add the garlic and warm through about 30 seconds.
• Add the spinach and cook until wilted and the liquid is mostly evaporated. About 8 minutes.
• Place the feta in a large mixing bowl and mash it with a fork. Add the cream cheese or ricotta cheese and mix together. Season with some black pepper and add the mint along with the spinach mixture and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
• Stuff each breast with about a half cup of the filling.
• To make your own homemade marinara sauce heat the olive oil with the onions over medium heat and cook until soft and golden. Add the garlic and warm through. Add all of the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• Place the chicken in an ovenproof pan such as a cast-iron skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and remove from the heat.
• If you are making this dish with the tomato sauce, pour as much of the marinara sauce as desired into the pan. It should cover the chicken 1/3-1/2 of the way up from the bottom of the pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 °F. Time depends on the thickness of the chicken cutlets. Thicker chicken takes about 18 minutes to bake.
• Remove from the oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
• If you are serving these with the lemon-caper sauce, just bake them in the oven without any sauce and as soon as they are ready, take them out of the oven, transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil.
• Make the lemon caper sauce: Place the skillet that the chicken baked in over medium heat and add the butter. Once it melts add the garlic and immediately add the lemon juice. Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and bring to a boil. Add the capers and simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce reduces a bit. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.
• To make this ahead:
• Assemble and fill the chicken and place the tray in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap. This can be done a day ahead.
• Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before cooking. About 1-2 hours.
• If you’re making a big batch (8-12, or more) you may skip the step of pan-frying one side of the chicken and just bake it in a large pan (or 2) until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 °F.