Description
Delicious and festive Christmas Stuffed Chicken Breasts filled with savory cranberry sauce, melted brie cheese, and sautéed spinach, perfect for a special holiday dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
Stuffing
- 2 tablespoons diced shallot
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 2 cups (lightly packed) baby spinach (roughly chopped)
- ¼ cup cranberry sauce
- 3 ounces brie cheese (sliced)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Season the chicken breasts on both sides with kosher salt, dried thyme, and ground black pepper evenly to enhance the flavor throughout.
- Make a pocket: Use a sharp knife to carefully slice each chicken breast nearly in half horizontally, creating a pocket without cutting through completely to hold the stuffing.
- Sauté the spinach: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat, add diced shallot and minced garlic, sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add baby spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat.
- Stuff the chicken: Spoon 2 tablespoons of cranberry sauce into each chicken breast pocket, then evenly distribute the sautéed spinach mixture inside, and top each with 1.5 ounces of brie cheese. Secure the openings with 3 to 4 toothpicks each to hold the filling.
- Cook the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sear the stuffed chicken breasts for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (73°C).
- Serve: Remove from oven, let the chicken rest for a couple of minutes to seal in juices, then serve with your favorite side dishes for a festive meal.
Notes
- This recipe is perfect for a festive and easy Christmas dinner.
- Be careful not to cut all the way through the chicken breasts when making the pocket to keep the stuffing inside during cooking.
- If you don't have brie, you can substitute with another soft melting cheese like camembert or mozzarella.
- Use toothpicks to secure the chicken pockets to prevent filling from leaking out while cooking.
- Let the chicken rest after baking to keep it juicy and tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 577 kcal
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 1171 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
