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My Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken is So Good!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken. It’s one of those recipes that always comes through for me—and, with about 55 grams of protein per serving, it’s great for meal prep, lunch, dinner – whenever!
This recipe came about because I had some broccoli in the fridge that needed to be used. Instead of throwing it on the side like usual, I decided to stuff it inside the chicken with some cheese, and it turned out sooo good.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: Make sure the chicken breasts are thick enough to cut a pocket for stuffing. If they’re too thin, consider using two pieces and sandwiching the filling between them.
- Oregano, paprika, salt, and black pepper: You can swap oregano with dried thyme or Italian seasoning for a different flavor. Smoked paprika will also work if that’s what you got.
- Oil: For cooking. I like to use olive oil, but Avocado oil works as a good alternative.
For the filling
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli is what I prefer. It keeps a little texture while cooking. If you’re using frozen, make sure to thaw and pat it dry to avoid excess moisture.
- Cheddar cheese: I like to use a strong cheddar cheese for flavor, but you can use mild or another type of cheese if you prefer.
- Sour cream: For a nice creamy filling. I use full fat as it’s much richer in flavor, but you can use a low fat variety if you prefer. Greek yogurt or cream cheese are great substitutes if sour cream isn’t available.
- Garlic powder and mustard powder: 1 clove fresh minced garlic can be used in place of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard can stand in for mustard powder.
Popular Additions
- Extra Veggies: Add 1 cup of diced bell peppers or ½ cup of sautéed mushrooms to the filling for more texture and flavor.
- Cheesy Twist: Mix in ¼ cup of cream cheese or replace the cheddar with mozzarella for a creamier, meltier filling.
- Crunch Factor: Top the chicken with 2 tablespoons of toasted breadcrumbs or crushed almonds before baking for extra texture.
How to Make Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
- With a sharp knife, make a pocket in each chicken breast right in the middle.
- Season the chicken all over with the herbs and spices.
- Mix together the filling and spoon it into each chicken breast.
- Secure the chicken with toothpicks.
- Sear the chicken breasts on each side on the stovetop just enough to give it some color.
- Bake in the oven until cooked through.
My Best Stuffed Chicken Tips
- Pat the excess moisture off of the breasts and let them come up to room temperature before cooking. Any excess moisture will cause the chicken to steam and dry out. Room temperature chicken will cook more evenly.
- Don’t cut the chicken breasts all the way through. If you do, the filling will ooze out during cooking. Cut carefully and just enough to make a pocket in the middle of each breast.
- Make this recipe in a cast iron or other oven proof skillet. This way you can easily transfer from stovetop to oven. If you don’t have one, you can transfer the chicken breasts to an oven proof dish once you have cooked them on the stovetop.
- Use an instant read thermometer to check that your chicken is cooked. Cooked chicken should register at 165F. It’s the easiest way to check for doneness without have to cut into the chicken breasts.
What to Serve
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Oven Roasted Carrots
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Frequently asked questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through, or microwave in 30-second intervals to avoid drying out the filling.
If some filling escapes, don’t worry—it happens! Ensure the toothpicks are securing the pocket tightly, and avoid overstuffing the chicken.
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, sear the chicken in a regular skillet, then transfer it to a baking dish to finish in the oven. Just be sure to deglaze the skillet with a little water or broth to pour over the chicken before baking!
More chicken recipes
- Thai Peanut Chicken Stir Fry
- Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken
- Chicken Taco Cups
- Oven Baked Chicken Breast
- Ground Chicken Burgers
- Chicken Fajita Pasta
If you’ve tried this feel good Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (3-4 chicken breasts)
- 1 ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the filling
- 2 cups broccoli florets chopped
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Make a horizontal slit in the thickest part of the chicken breast to create a pocket, making sure not to cut all the way through.
- Season the chicken breast with oregano, paprika, salt and pepper and use your hands to rub the seasoning on both sides of the chicken.
- In a small bowl, combine the broccoli, cheddar cheese, sour cream, garlic powder and mustard powder. Stuff the mixture evenly inside the chicken breast. Use a couple toothpicks to close each pocket.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or cast iron skillet, add the stuffed chicken and sear until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven uncovered and bake until cooked through, about 15-18 minutes.
Notes
- Pat the excess moisture off of the breasts and let them come up to room temperature before cooking. Any excess moisture will cause the chicken to steam and dry out. Room temperature chicken will cook more evenly.
- Don’t cut the chicken breasts all the way through. If you do, the filling will ooze out during cooking. Cut carefully and just enough to make a pocket in the middle of each breast.
- Make this recipe in a cast iron or other oven proof skillet. This way you can easily transfer from stovetop to oven. If you don’t have one, you can transfer the chicken breasts to an oven proof dish once you have cooked them on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this recipe. As for some who’ve not liked the recipe for seasonings, I normally never abide by the seasonings in any recipe. So thought I’d share my version and maybe some will like. I seasoned my chicken breast with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika on the inside of the pocket I cut for stuffing then on the outside as well. Then I seasoned the stuffing with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and a touch of hot paprika – it’s really hot. We like spicy food but we didn’t want this to be spicy. The cheese I used was queso cheddar cheese to add a bit of flavor.
I give this recipe 5 stars because it tasted great, had great instructions, etc. Even though I didn’t follow seasoning to the T. I never do anyway so, to me, it deserved a 5!! Oh, I also liked the fact that it gave the option to reduce the number of servings. I have an empty nest so sometimes difficult to make a meal for two. This was perfect!
So glad you liked it Kim!
My family and I enjoyed this okay, but we felt like something was missing. Not sure if it was the seasonings or the broccoli still being a bit firm for our taste. The chicken was still nice and juicy; but overall, I think it was a miss for us. This was my first recipe that I have attempted from this website, and I am a HUGE fan of the simplicity and accessibility of the content! Not gonna let a miss keep me down; looking forward to trying something else soon!
Thank you for your honest feedback! For the broccoli, I recommend cutting it into even smaller pieces, so it cooks quicker and is not as firm.. For the flavor, I suggest doubling or adding more seasonings. Let me know what you think of the other recipes you try if you get a chance!
Thank you so much for the feedback! Excited to checkout more recipes from the site!
Made this as one of the Super Bowl 2021 dishes 🥳 it was a hit!! Super delicious and makes it looks like I worked hard to make it but it was easy peasy! Thank you Yumna
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you!
Love this website-I discovered it when I went on an elimination diet earlier this year. Every recipe I’ve tried has been simple to make and a huge hit with my family. We all loved this stuffed chicken and I’ve made it a few times since you posted. So easy and healthy and flavorful. I followed the recipe exactly!
That makes me so incredibly happy!! I can’t wait for you to try more recipes!
Salaams Yumna, I just had to share this with you. I had some extra broccoli and cauliflower, so I went through you page to look for some ideas and i found your broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken but as usual you know us indian with our spices. I made stuffed cauliflower and broccoli and cheese with chicken thanks to your page. It doesn’t look like yours but I used your idea.. JazakAllah so much.. cant wait to try out your.other recipes❤👌🏻
Salams and so glad to hear that you were inspired by this recipe and created something so delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I made a sweet potato mash with it to keep it keto friendly and together it tasted amazing! I love that your recipes are healthy and quite easy to follow.
So glad you liked it! Love the sweet potato mash with it. Thank you!
Silly question..do you cook the broccoli first?
No need to cook the broccoli!
Does the filling contain cream cheese or sour cream???? The list of ingredients call for sour cream, however the directions indicate cream cheese.
Oops, I originally tested with cream cheese so it works well with that, but I liked it better with sour cream.
At what temperature should we cook it in the oven?
400F. If you scroll to the recipe card at the bottom, you can see the full instructions 🙂
Silly question. Do I cook the broccoli first? I bought frozen broccoli
I would defrost the frozen broccoli and drain the water from it before using it in this recipe.