The ultimate in a versatile recipe, easy Cheesy Herb Stuffed Chicken Breasts are stuffed with not one but three kinds of cheese, chopped roasted pecans, and fresh herbs. It’s a company-worthy, hearty classic that's also perfect for a weeknight or Sunday dinner.
Cheese lovers everywhere, rejoice! Full of flavor, with very few carbs, these breasts are tender, juicy, and flavorful. You only need a few minutes to throw everything together and stuff them, and then your oven does all of the work.
This is one of those recipes that's so easy and adaptable; you don't even need a recipe. The possibilities for stuffing are endless. And if you don’t have the exact ingredients I’ve listed, the substitution window is wide open, within reason, of course.
I hope you will make this delicious dish tonight with whatever ingredients you happen to have on hand!
Make-ahead tips:
If you are like me and like to make dishes ahead, especially when you have company, you will love this recipe. To make it ahead, all you have to do is prepare the stuffing and stuff the breasts. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then pop them in the oven when you are ready to bake.
What to serve with it:
If you follow this recipe as written, this dish is relatively rich, so I like to keep my sides simple. A small tossed salad and roasted or steamed vegetables are perfect accompaniments.
More chicken recipes:
If you like this recipe, I know you will also like these other recipes. Here are some of my favorites:
- Roasted Bone-In Chicken Breasts
- Easy Chicken Parmesan, A Family Favorite
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Breasts
- Creamy Oven-Baked Asiago Chicken Breasts
- Chicken Pesto with Mozzarella
- Pecan Crusted Chicken
- Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Stuffing
If you need more recipes or menu ideas, check out all of my chicken recipes here.
Ingredients:
To make this recipe as written, you will need boneless breasts with the skin still attached. You will also need Boursin cheese, feta or goat cheese, fresh herbs (I used basil and rosemary), roasted pecans, olive oil, kosher salt, and lemon pepper.
How to make Easy Cheesy Herb Stuffed Chicken Breasts:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cheeses, pecans, and herbs in a small bowl.
How to stuff it:
Place the breasts on a cutting board and gently loosen the skin with your fingers. Don’t completely detach it.
Divide the cheese mixture between the breasts, filling the area under the skin with as much mixture as you can. Smooth the skin back over the cheese and breast.
Brush the skin lightly with olive oil and sprinkle each breast evenly with salt and lemon pepper.
How long to cook it:
Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the skin is golden, and the meat registers 165 degrees with an instant-read meat thermometer.
When they are done, let them stand a minute or so and serve warm.
Sharon’s tips:
The time it will take the breasts to cook will depend on the size. Smaller breasts will take less time, and larger ones will take more time. Mine were about 12 ounces each, and they took 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to make sure they are cooked but not overdone.
The only mandatory ingredient in this recipe is the chicken breasts. I buy bone-in, skin-on breasts and ask the butcher to remove the bones for me. Depending on where you live, you may be able to purchase boneless breasts with skin, but I haven’t been able to find them anywhere. They need to have the skin still attached.
Other ideas for the stuffing includes fresh spinach, sliced mushrooms, cream cheese, sliced almonds, pine nuts, mozzarella cheese, ricotta, goat cheese, black or green olives, broccoli, sundried tomatoes, fresh thyme, dried herbs, bacon, etc. Use any combination of cheese and other ingredients that you like.
Believe it or not, you can quickly toast a small amount of chopped pecans in your microwave. To do this, place the pecans on a paper plate or microwave-safe plate in a single layer. Microwave for about five minutes. Taste and see if they are done. If not, cook them for another minute or so.
★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
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Easy Cheesy Herb Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe
Ingredients
- 5.2 oz Boursin cheese garlic and herb flavor
- ¼ cup feta or goat cheese or a combination of the two
- ¼ cup roasted or toasted pecans chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs I used basil and rosemary
- 4 chicken breasts boneless, skin attached
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the cheeses, pecans, and herbs in a small bowl.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and gently loosen the skin with your fingers.
- Divide the cheese mixture between the breasts, filling the area under the skin with as much mixture as you can. Smooth the skin back over the cheese and breast.
- Brush the skin lightly with olive oil and sprinkle each breast evenly with salt and lemon pepper.
- Place on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the skin is golden, and the chicken registers 165 degrees with an instant-read meat thermometer.
- When they are done, let them stand a minute or so and serve warm.
CJ
We found the stuffing mix was a little too tangy and the texture was not the creamy we were going for. Will try a different cheese blend next time. Both the Boursin and either feta or goat cheeses are on the dry verses creamy side. The herb flavor was very good.
Sharon Rigsby
Dear CJ,
I apologize for the delay in getting back to you. Thank you so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! I’m glad you enjoyed the herb flavor, although I’m sorry the filling wasn’t quite as creamy as you had hoped. Cheese preferences can definitely vary, and I think experimenting with a different blend next time is a great idea. Thanks for taking the time to let me know how it turned out!
All the best,
Sharon
Linger
Oh my!! This chicken recipe, stuffed with Boursin and feta, looks divine. I love how easy you made it by stuffing it under the skin. What a GREAT dish to serve. I’m looking forward to trying this. YUM!!