Hasselback Chicken Stuffed Spinach Tomatoes (Print Version)
Sliced chicken breasts stuffed with spinach, mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes, baked until golden and bubbly for an impressive presentation.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
→ Filling
02 - 3.5 oz baby spinach, washed
03 - 3.5 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
04 - 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Seasonings
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
08 - ½ tsp paprika
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat your oven to 390°F.
02 - Using a sharp knife, make deep cuts about ½ inch apart across each chicken breast, being careful not to cut all the way through to create the Hasselback effect.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella cheese, washed baby spinach, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and minced garlic until well blended.
04 - Gently press the filling into each cut of the chicken breasts, ensuring even distribution throughout the slices.
05 - Place the stuffed breasts in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with Italian herbs, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
06 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F) and the filling is golden and bubbly.
07 - Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The presentation makes you look like a kitchen rockstar while keeping prep time totally reasonable
- Every single bite delivers pockets of cheesy, savory filling instead of just a topping
02 -
- Do not rush the slicing process, because uneven cuts mean some pieces cook faster than others
- If your filling starts falling out, gently press the slices back together after stuffing
03 -
- Chill your chicken in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing to make cleaner cuts
- Pat the sun-dried tomatoes thoroughly with paper towels to prevent soggy filling