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’ve been following you for several months but this was the first recipe I actually tried. I had everything on hand except the Ricotta cheese and chicken but the chicken was on sale so it was perfect timing. Hubby and I both really enjoyed them and I will be making this again. Thank you for great tasting and easy recipes.
I’ve never liked spinach, but I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe! I was also glad about how easy it was to make. Hubby also says it was super tasty, and liked the amount of garlic in it 😊
Really, REALLY good! Even after resting in a warm oven for 20 minutes, waiting for hubby to return, there were no complaints. I had giant chicken breasts so I prepared 2 and one was plenty to feed us both with a side salad and steamed veggies. The filling is delicious and plenty of it. I used 2 metal skewers to secure each breast and they were seeping just the right amount of filling to look as good as Carolyn’s. This is a keeper.
Oh my, this spinach stuffed chicken was so good and easy to make. Will add to my favorites!
Sooooooo good. juicy, tasty, filling! i could not eat a whole one and it was so delicious. Definitely one to make on repeat in coming weeks. Truly appreciate the recipes you post.
I made this for dinner and it was fabulous! My family loved it!! We are adding this to the meal rotation of favorites. Was super moist with only one cast iron pan for cleanup!!! Thanks for all the great recipes, couldn’t do keto without them! 😋
Made this recently and we enjoyed it, but I think I overcooked it because it was on the dry side. That was on me. I will try again another time. Always appreciative of Carolyn’s recipes!
This recipe was superb! my whole family loved it. I will definitely be adding it to our family favorites. Thank you for sharing All Day I Dream About Food. ❤️
Wonderful flavour and so easy. I only made a recipe with 2 breasts for myself. I will make again once my husband is home to try it. Served it with your green bean salad for a nice Sunday evening supper for one. Thanks again Carolyn
I made this tonight for Hubby and I. ( Halved recipe) It was delish! Wonderful flavor! Served it with a tossed garden salad. Definitely a company worthy recipe and easy to prepare too. Hubby can’t wait for me to make it again. Thank you, Carolyn!
This Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast was so juicy and tender, the flavors were delicious. I will be making this again. I still need practice with stuffing ingredients into sliced chicken breasts but I know the more I try the better I will get.
So tasty, and not dry (!!!). The chicken made a great sandwich day 2, cut in half through the cheesy stuffing and warmed gently. I would happily make this again!
I made this for supper tonight and it was excellent. I used cottage cheese in place of the ricotta cheese, otherwise followed recipe. I will definitely make it again. The flavor was so good with the buttery garlic! My husband gave it high praise and he doesn’t always eat my keto creations! Thank you for sharing. ❤️
This is one of my favorite recipes. Even my husband eats it and he doesn’t like much that is “Keto”. It has great flavor, chicken is tender, and goes with just about any side. Made this for when we had company from out of town, it was a hit! They even asked for a copy of the recipe.
I am so glad!
This recipe was so much easier than I thought it would be. I thought cutting and stuffing the chicken would be so futsy and slow, but it was really easy and the whole recipe was pretty fast. It was delicious, too, and my teenagers gobbled it up!
My husband and I really enjoyed this dish. He told me I should take a picture since it looks so appetizing. It tasted as good as it looked!
Decided to try this to shake up our dinner routine. We added a bit more cheese than recipe called for – it made a bit of grease for the re-heat, but cooked up and re-heated well. This will definitely become a regular at our table – we loved it!