Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (2024)

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Oh hey, my new Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe Aren’t you a lovely, healthy chicken breast dish that is fast and simple to prepare. What was that? You can also use low-fat cream cheese and Parmesan and you have a healthy dinner full of protein and veggies. You can also try my Lemon Garlic Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts.

Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (1)

Delicious, Low Carb Chicken Breast Recipe

I love a good stuffed chicken breast recipe just like the next person. The problem usually is that you have to wrap bacon around them to get the filling to stay in ( I know, that’s not a problem, Karlynn, that’s a smart, salty delicious solution!) and then the filling inevitably leaks its way out of the chicken. I actually have very few stuffed chicken breast recipes on this website for that very reason.

Thispan-fried spinach & cream cheese stuffed chicken breast however, solves that problem First, just like the name says, you pan fry the chicken. Then you add the filling, cover the chicken and heat it through.

Simple, yes? And no bacon in sight!

Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (2)

Tips & Tricks for Pan Fried Chicken Breasts

  1. Pan fried chicken is best cooked on medium heat. You don’t want to cook the chicken fast on the outside and then have it raw on the inside.
  2. You don’t need to cook the spinach cream cheese filling, you simply have to heat it up. That’s the brilliance of pan frying the butterflied chicken breasts instead of baking them in the oven wrapped in bacon. The filling doesn’t leak out ( as long as you are careful) and you can heat it up slowly and surely.
  3. You could also wrap this in bacon at the point after the chicken is cooked and you stuff the cream cheese in. It really doesn’t need it and sometimes bacon is overdone in low carb and keto recipes.

Happy cooking!

Love,

Karlynn

Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (3)

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Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (4)

Pan Fried Spinach Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe

ThisPan Fried Spinach Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts recipe is one of the best skillet dinners I have made in a while!

4.94 from 47 votes

Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (5)

Review

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Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American
Servings
4
Calories
382
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese at room temp
  • 1/4 cup of Parmesancheese
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1-2 tablespoons minced chives or green onions
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Place plastic wrap on top of each chicken breast and using a meat mallet, pound them slightly thinner. ( they will fry up faster if you do this step.)

  • To butterfly your chicken breasts, lay them flat on sturdy surface. Place one hand on top to hold it in place and then slice 3/4 of the way through the chicken breast. Do not slice all the way through!

  • Heat up the olive oil in a large skillet.

  • Fry the chicken breast in the frying pan on medium heat, approximately 7 minutes a side, until they start to get golden brown and crispy on the outside and reach a temperature of 165°F. You want the mto be cooked before you stuff them!

  • Combine the spinach, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, chives and garlic in a bowl and microwave to take the chill off. Make sure it's nice and warm. ( this is such an easy cheat! I was so excited!)

  • Carefully spoon a quarter of cheese mixture into the middle of the cooked chicken breasts.

  • Turn the heat to low and put a lid on the frying pan. Heat for another 5-7 minutes, until the cream cheese mixture has heated through.

  • Remove and plate. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

This doesn't store that well, so only make what you are going to eat right away!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 382kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 52g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 180mg, Sodium: 453mg, Potassium: 875mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 515IU, Vitamin C: 3.6mg, Calcium: 117mg, Iron: 1mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a co*cktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

Site Index Chicken breast Low carb Spinach

Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Angela says

    Reply

    Can goat cheese be substituted for the cream cheese? My husband can’t have cream cheese.

  2. Linda says

    Reply

    Oh my!
    This was so, so good. I didn’t alter anything. My breasts were so large however, I cut them in half. Thanks So Much!Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (10)

  3. JoAnne says

    Reply

    Do you open the chicken to pan fry it, or just fry both sides without opening?

  4. Kimberly says

    Reply

    Grated or shredded cheese?Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (11)

    • Cat says

      Reply

      I have the same question as JoAnne… open up the breast or leave it folded to fry?

  5. goody says

    Reply

    Hi, Can you make a few recipes for those of us who are vegan? Thanks for posting 🙂

  6. Lisa Kneisley says

    I was looking for a yummy easy to do recipe…(something different )
    this popped out at me because I had all the ingredients.”My whole family loved it”
    “Delicious”Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (12)

  7. Jamie Lentz says

    Reply

    I loved the simplicity of this dish! I only modified it a little. I added mozzarella cheese and crumbled bacon to the stuffing ….because we can never have enough cheese! It was absolutely my favorite chicken dish!Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (13)

  8. Gena watt says

    Reply

    That made all the difference in the world?Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (14)

  9. June Holmstrom says

    Reply

    I used fresh spinach and it turned out great! Thanks!

    • Tam says

      Reply

      Yummy😁👍👍Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (15)

    • Janet says

      Reply

      Great! I was just reading comments to see if I could use fresh spinach! Thanks! Wish me luck! Looks and sounds yummy!

  10. Britny co*ker-Moen says

    Reply

    Using plastic wrap to tenderize the chicken is wasteful and unnecessary.

    • Karlynn says

      Reply

      No; covering the chicken keeps small bits of raw chicken from contaminating the counter, your clothes, the floor and everywhere else you are sending those salmonella bombs. I prefer to keep my kitchen and family safe from food borne illness; thanks.Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (16)

  11. Sheila says

    Reply

    It was good,, Thank youPan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (17)

    • Karlynn Johnston says

      Reply

      You are very welcome!Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (18)

      • Gena watt says

        Reply

        I brined my chicken for 4 hours, and added chopped garlic in the olive oil. I was worried about my filling, so I just added a piece of bacon around the filling only, so after it was done I let it cool for a second and removed the bacon?and it held up beautifully ? everyone loved it? grandkids included?thank you so much ?Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (19)

  12. Bobbie Thompson says

    Reply

    Hi Karlynn
    Just wondering if it would be ok to use frozen spinach in this recipe?
    Thanks BobbiePan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (20)

    • Chris G says

      Reply

      It calls for frozen spinach. Lol

  13. Carrie says

    Reply

    Hey Karlynn, great recipe. My doctor just just put me on a very low carb diet. I found a little red pepper when pan searing the chicken helps to give it a kick. Thanks so much for the great ideas.

    BlessingsPan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (21)

    • Karlynn Johnston says

      Reply

      Love the idea of the red pepper!Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (22)

      • Virginia Norlund Andre says

        Reply

        Me, toooooo! I’m trying it this weekend
        ( for my birthday weekend) . Hubby taking me out on Sunday… so we’ll play with this recipe on Saturday! Thnx! ?

  14. Pam says

    Reply

    I was disappointed in this recipe. There seemed to be too much spinach in the filling, and I had a difficult time getting the chicken breasts to fold over the filling. I cooked the chicken to 165 degrees prior to adding the stuffing, and it ended up dried out. I will use less spinach and more cream cheese next time. Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (23)

    • Cozette Jones says

      Reply

      Try Brimmig or marinate the chicken. This will definitely kick in the flavor .Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (24)

  15. Lin says

    Reply

    Turned out yummy and fits well into my low carb lifestyle. Thanks!Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (25)

  16. Lonna Udan says

    Reply

    This recipe was so easy and so yummy! I made it for my family and it was a hit. So now I’m making it for a dinner party! Thank youPan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (26)

  17. Marybeth says

    Reply

    You mention chives in the directions, but they’re not listed in the ingredients. How much did you use?

    • Karlynn Johnston says

      Reply

      Recipe is all fixed! Thanks for letting me know!Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (27)

  18. Melinda says

    Reply

    Fantastic recipe!Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (28)

    • Karlynn Johnston says

      Reply

      Awesome, thanks for letting me know!Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (29)

  19. Mindy says

    Reply

    New family favorite! Its so good. I use a little less spinach but turns out awesome.Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (30)

    • Karlynn Johnston says

      Reply

      So glad you liked it!Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (31)

Leave a Comment or Recipe Tip

Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the best way to stuff chicken breast? ›

Use a soup spoon or your hands to scoop the filling into the pocket of each breast. Pin the breast closed. Use a toothpick to hold each pocket closed by inserting it on either side of the pocket. Brown the breasts.

How to cook chicken breasts so they are moist and tender? ›

  1. Flatten the chicken breasts. ...
  2. Heat the pan. ...
  3. Cook the chicken breasts over medium heat for 1 minute without moving. ...
  4. Flip the chicken breasts. ...
  5. Turn the heat down to low. ...
  6. Cover the pan and cook on low for 10 minutes. ...
  7. Turn off the heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes. ...
  8. Remove lid and take temperature.

Why put chicken in milk before frying? ›

These enzymes and acids work together in order to break down the proteins allowing the chicken meat to become tenderer. This is the reason why chefs soak chicken in yogurt or milk overnight before cooking it. The marinade will yield for a better result especially when you plan to fry the chicken.

Is it best to cover chicken breast when baking? ›

If you prefer a tender and moist result, covered baking will be the better option. If you're desiring a crispy exterior and bolder flavors, uncovered baking is best.

How do you keep chicken breast moist when frying? ›

Brining is especially great for frying chicken. It gives you crispier skin while keeping the meat juicy on the inside.

What's the best way to cook chicken breast so it doesn't dry out? ›

Her suggestion: Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a pan in a single layer, cover with a few inches of liquid (water, broth, etc.), add flavorings (spices, salt, herbs, soy sauce, etc.), then bring the liquid just barely to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the liquid simmers.

Is it better to use egg or milk for fried chicken? ›

Some recipes call for dipping the chicken in egg before coating with flour while others call for milk (or butter milk). Egg provides a lot more protein and will produce a thicker, more stable crust. Milk is obviously much thinner, contains much more water, and won't cling to the meat as much.

Why do you coat chicken in an egg before frying? ›

The protein in eggs cooks quickly, and acts as an agent to keep the breading on the chicken. Plus, when combined with the flour, the egg turns into a gel that makes it easier for the breadcrumbs to adhere to the chicken cutlets.

Why do you coat chicken in flour before frying? ›

The coating keeps the food from sticking to the pan while cooking. The flour and other dry ingredients seal in moisture to prevent the food from becoming tough. The coating helps to brown the food and provides a crunchy layer. The seasoning in the coating adds flavor to your food.

Can you put stuffing in a raw chicken? ›

Check the internal temperature of the whole chicken or turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Harmful bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F possibly resulting in foodborne illness.

Should you pound chicken breasts before baking? ›

Furthermore, pounding a breast to be more even will thin it out some, which will create a larger surface area exposed to heat. Put simply, it will cook faster. On top of that, by pounding the chicken before you cook it, you are tenderizing the meat some, which will also help it to cook faster.

Is it safe to cook stuffing in a chicken? ›

A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the stuffing reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. If the stuffing is inside whole poultry, take the poultry out of the oven and let it stand 20 minutes before removing the stuffing. Refrigerate cooked poultry and stuffing within 2 hours.

Is it safe to stuff chicken breast? ›

You can stuff boneless skinless chicken breasts with any combination of cheese, sautéed vegetables (broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes all work well), herbs, and even meat if you like. This Greek-meets-Italy feta, spinach, and Parmesan recipe is simple, tastes fresh, and is the best stuffed chicken breast I've ever had.

Is it safe to stuff a chicken with stuffing? ›

Check the internal temperature of the whole chicken or turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Harmful bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F possibly resulting in foodborne illness.

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