Looking for a high-protein, low carb dinner that doesn’t skimp on flavor? This spinach stuffed chicken has it all! Succulent chicken breasts stuffed with a savory combo of spinach, garlic, and three cheeses, and drizzled with a buttery pan sauce. It’s bound to become one of your favorite keto chicken recipes.
I don’t usually cook with or eat chicken breasts. I’ve always found them a bit boring and lacking in flavor. I much prefer chicken thighs any day. Unless we happen to be talking about this keto stuffed. Then I take back every bad thing I ever said about how chicken breasts are dry and boring. Because this meal is ANYTHING but boring.
I have a lot of delicious chicken recipes that have become reader favorites, like Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole and Easy Keto Chicken Fajitas. This this one needs to be added to the list, because it is absolutely mouthwatering!
What readers are saying
“This recipe is incredible and is one of my favorite go-tos. I’ve served to non-keto eaters and they adore it. Perfectly accompanied with some cauliflower rice with Basil and Pine Nuts. So good! Brilliant work Carolyn!” — Jasmine
Why you’ll love this Spinach Stuffed Chicken
- Big on flavor – juicy chicken with a cheesy spinach stuffing.
- Simple ingredients – everyday staples that you can find at any grocery store.
- High protein – a satisfying meal with 47 grams of protein per serving.
- Keto friendly – with 5.1 grams of carbs and 1.9 grams of fiber, it fits your healthy low carb diet.
- Universal appeal – even non-keto eaters love this recipe.
- Easy but impressive – totally restaurant-worthy but it comes together in under an hour.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) – medium size works best
- Frozen spinach (thawed, well-drained) or cooked fresh spinach (pressed dry)
- Ricotta (whole-milk) – rich and creamy filling
- Mozzarella (shredded or freshly grated)
- Parmesan (avoid processed canned)
- Garlic – fresh for best flavor
- Butter, paprika, salt & pepper – pantry staples for savory seasoning
Overview: How to make this recipe
- Prepare the stuffing: Mix the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Butterfly the chicken: Slice each chicken breast through the center but not all the way through.
- Stuff the breasts: Fill each with one quarter of the spinach & cheese mixture and secure with toothpicks.
- Pan-sear: Add the chicken breasts, butter, and garlic to an ovenproof skillet and cook until golden brown.
- Oven-bake: Transfer to a 350ºF oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
Expert tips
Choose smaller chicken breasts: Many store-bought chicken breasts are absurdly large, which makes it harder to cook through properly. Aim for medium-sized breasts, about 6 ounces each.
How to split chicken breasts: Lay the chicken down on a cutting board and used a sharp knife to cut a deep slit into the side of each breast. You want to make sure not to cut right through so that they open like a book. Then you can spread one side with the filling and fold the other side overtop.
Secure with toothpicks: Use 2 to 3 toothpicks per breast to close up the opening as best you can. Just don’t forget about them when it comes time to serve. You can simply tug and twist them gently to remove them and the breasts will retain their shape.
Pan-sear and then bake: Pan-searing the Spinach Stuffed Chicken adds phenomenal flavor and allows the outside to brown nicely. Baking in the oven ensures that the breasts cook through properly. I don’t recommend skipping either step.
Serve with the pan juices: The filling does ooze out a bit and between that and the butter and garlic, you have a gorgeous pan sauce to drizzle over the chicken as you serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
The easiest way to stuff chicken breast is to butterfly it first. Lay each breast flat on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice it horizontally through the middle, but don’t cut all the way through. Then you can open the breast like a book and fill it with any mixture of fillings.
How long it takes can depend on how large the breasts are and the type of stuffing. These Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts take 25 to 30 minutes to cook through completely. Make sure you check the internal temperature, as it should reach 165ºF in the thickest part of the breast.
This keto stuffed chicken recipe has 5.1g of carbohydrate and 1.9g of fiber. So it has 3.2g net carbs per serving.
What to serve with Spinach Stuffed Chicken
This delicious keto meal pairs with all your favorite sides. Here are a few you might try:
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 medium chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) butter, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) whole milk ricotta
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) grated Parmesan
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the spinach.
- In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and 2 cloves of the minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine.
- Using a sharp knife, slice each chicken breast horizontally through the center, but don't cut all the way through. Open each breast like a book.
- Stuff each chicken breast with 1/4 of this mixture and secure the opening with several toothpicks. Season the top and bottom of the breasts with paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan and let melt. Once hot, add the remaining garlic and then add the chicken breasts. Cook until golden brown on the outside, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Place the entire skillet in the oven and cook until the chicken reaches 165ºF on an instant read thermometer, about 20 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I usually LOVE Carolyn’s recipes – but this time it seemed to fall short. Although there seemed to be alot of flavorful ingredients – somehow the end result didn’t seem very flavorful. The chicken was tender and looked great, it just needed something. If I make it again, I may add something like cajun seasoning or maybe a more flavorful cheese like jarlsberg to give it alittle kick.
Made this recipe. . . my family and myself loved IT, and it was really easy to make !!!
Practically foolproof and delicious! Carolyn’s dinner recipes can be counted on.
Another hubby favourite here. I did have to sub ricotta for cream cheese and air fried them and he absolutely loved them. We have a fantasy restaurant where we price your meals as if they were a restaurant. This dish is $27 including a side of vegetables and chef’s salad. 5 stars
I did not think anything could top your Chicken Broccoli Casserole. Holy cow. This is next level! Worth the trouble – and, as you write, the stuffing step is not as hard as you think. Tip- avoid using colored cocktail toothpicks; they will leave blue dye behind! 😅
Honestly, this is the most flavorful dinner I have ever busted out on a random Wednesday. Crazy good.
Your delicious recipes are helping me win over a husband and daughter to the low carb life. Thank you!
I prepared these yesterday-froze 2 unbaked. My chicken breasts were on the bigger side so after butterflying them, I used my mallet to pound them to be a little thinner and even. I cooked them in my air fryer at 400-it took about 25-30 minutes for mine to reach 165.
They were perfect, juicy and not dried out at all. This is definitely a keeper recipe! I didn’t brown them at all before popping them on the screen in my air fryer. Cooked them directly on the screen not in a pan at all.
Fantastic!
Made tonight Excellent recipe that came together quickly. Moist and flavorful protein. Will add to monthly rotation
Glad you enjoyed it!
it is very good. thank you for the recipe
This sounds delicious! But how do you pan fry with the toothpicks sticking up?
Made it first with the chicken. I did not see the recommendation to use 6 oz breast . Although my larger breast came out a little dry. It was still a hit with my family. I had stuffing left over and I was able to stuff 3 tilapia fillets. Covered with butter and garlic and that was huge success
I made this and we ate some two nights in a row! it was easy and great tasting. A hit. thanks for teaching me this recipe! it gave me confidence.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Your recipes are my very favorite!!! Thanks for all of your efforts in creating and sharing them!
I can’t wait to try this one, I just have to say that the information you share and the recipes you create are great. By far the most understandable, easy to follow, creative and delicious. I know I’m not the only one who appreciates all the hard work you put into doing this.
Thank you so much!
Can this go in the air fryer? Or is that not a good idea? LOVE LOVE LOVE your recipes!!!!
I haven’t tried… but experiment and report back! 😉
I made this two nights ago and it lasted for two of our dinners. It was excellent and a saver recipe. Where I live, there are no frozen vegetables, so I steamed fresh spinach in the Instant Pot, pushed the extra water out and used it that way. Delicious recipe.
I just love this recipe. I do have just one question, due to my crazy busy work schedule would I be able to prep all then freeze it to cook at a later time?
You know, that’s a good question but I would google the food safety issues. I am sure someone has figured that out!
Can you substitute fresh spinach
Yes but cook it down and drain it first.