Creamed Spinach Stuffed Chicken
Imagine a fusion of warm spinach dip and oven-roasted chicken. Creamy, garlicky spinach, stuffed into chicken before a dusting of smoky spices. After a quick bake, the chicken is ultra-moist, perfectly seasoned, and brimming with flavor and color from the inside out.
And this dish is super easy too. The spinach mixture is a snap to prepare because you need a handful of ingredients, one bowl, and something to mix everything together (I used the back of a spoon; it works like a charm). And since you can use fresh or frozen spinach, some cream cheese, parmesan, and garlic powder, you might have everything you need already.
I love this spinach filling so much! It’s like a marriage of creamed spinach and spinach dip. The cream cheese makes it reminiscent of spinach dip, and the parmesan/garlic combo scream “creamed spinach in the house!”. Since the flavors are so fantastic, consider using the mixture with steak and pork chops too (either stuffed inside or served over top; you can let the blend melt over hot/freshly-cooked meat – that would be insanely good too).
And then there’s the seasoning on top of the chicken. A simple blend of paprika and onion powder (spick rack staples, yes?) transform the flavor and color of this chicken in the most wonderful way. As the spices roast, they deepen in flavor, infusing smoky paprika/chili and toasted onion into every inch of the meat. Yes, it’s a dry rub, but it will not burn in 25 to 30 minutes.
This dish looks fancy, but it couldn’t be simpler. The prep time should take you about 10 minutes, and then the chicken cooks in less than 30 minutes. Better get those side dishes ready!
How should you serve your creamy spinach stuffed chicken? As you can see, I served our chicken with pan-seared zucchini (seared in olive oil and scented with chili powder and cumin) and buttered toast with fresh tomatoes. It was an explosion of flavor and color on the plate. That said, this chicken would be great with potatoes, rice, a salad, and/or your favorite grain on the side.
Creamed Spinach Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, about 4 to 5 ounces each
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach, regular or baby spinach, or 1 cup thawed frozen spinach
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 6 tablespoons cream cheese, regular or light/low-fat
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and ground black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
- Using a sharp knife, cut a slit in the side of each chicken breast to create a pocket (don’t cut through to the other side).
- In a large bowl, combine the spinach, parmesan, cream cheese, and garlic. Mix until well blended (using the back of a spoon makes mixing super easy). Stuff the mixture into the chicken breasts. Transfer the chicken to the prepared pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika and onion powder. Sprinkle the mixture all over the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees on a meat thermometer).