Simple Baked Spinach Ricotta Chicken (Printable)
Tender stuffed chicken breasts with a creamy spinach and ricotta filling, baked to golden perfection.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ Filling
05 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
06 - 1 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs
10 - ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
11 - 1 egg yolk
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Topping
13 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a baking dish with a little olive oil.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry. With a sharp knife, cut a horizontal pocket into each breast, being careful not to cut all the way through.
03 - In a bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, garlic, Parmesan, Italian herbs, nutmeg, egg yolk, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
04 - Stuff each chicken breast with the ricotta-spinach mixture, securing with toothpicks if needed.
05 - Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
06 - Place stuffed chicken in prepared baking dish. Top each breast with mozzarella and extra Parmesan.
07 - Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F) and cheese is golden.
08 - Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Remove toothpicks, slice, and serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The ricotta keeps the chicken impossibly moist while that golden cheese blanket gets everything bubbly and gorgeous
- Something about cutting into stuffed chicken makes people think you spent hours when really it took thirty minutes
02 -
- Overfilling the pockets will make everything burst during baking so restraint pays off
- A meat thermometer takes all the guesswork out of doneness and prevents dry chicken forever
03 -
- Using room temperature ricotta prevents lumps in your filling mixture
- Press the filling firmly into the pockets to eliminate air pockets that could cause bursting