Loaded with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil, these Tuscan Stuffed Chicken Breasts will be a hit on your dinner table! Including a delectable sauce that will leave you licking your plate clean, this one-pan wonder is begging to be on the menu the next time you entertain guests.
So many of my recipes are born from an ingredient that needs to be used up and a deep, unrelenting craving. This time it was a half-used jar of sun-dried tomatoes and a hankering for cheesy stuffed chicken. I think we certainly accomplished the goal! I used up an entire ball of fresh mozzarella, and there’s now an empty sun-dried tomato jar in the recycling. Bingo.
I even got to use up the rest of the oil from the jar on sun-dried tomatoes! I’m telling you, right now, NEVER toss that oil out. It takes regular old olive oil and turns it into something you might be tempted to drink… almost. If you don’t have quite enough oil for searing the breasts, you can supplement with a bit of olive oil.
Ingredients
Click “Jump to the Recipe” or keep on scrolling down to the recipe card for ingredient amounts and the full recipe instructions. Below I have substitutes, extra detail, FAQ, and tips to make sure this recipe turns out perfect for you.
- Chicken – Chicken breasts, skinless and boneless. If you have a bone in there it may be difficult to butterfly. You can make this recipe with boneless and skinless thighs. I would pound them out a bit to be able to hold the fillings better.
- Mozzarella – Shredded or sliced. You can also try this recipe with provolone.
- Basil – Fresh! The leaves I had were pretty big so I only needed two per breast. You may need three.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – Grab the sun-dried tomatoes in oil and keep that oil! That is flavorful liquid gold for searing the chicken.
- Salt & pepper – Season to taste.
- Italian seasoning – Check if your Italian seasoning has salt in it so you know how much extra you’ll need to add.
- Chicken broth – Or, honestly, any type of broth you have handy. Veggie or even beef will work!
- White wine vinegar – Or regular white vinegar.
How to make tuscan stuffed chicken breasts
- Butterfly: Preheat the oven to 425F. Place a chicken breast on your cutting board and firmly lay your hand flat on top of it. Carefully slice the chicken breast, starting from the front of the breast and working your way to the back. Stop about 1/2″ from the end of the breast to keep it in one piece. Open the chicken breast. Repeat with the other 3 breasts.
- Stuff & season: Lay the cheese over one half of the butterflied chicken breast, then lay 2-3 basil leaves over the cheese, and finally top with a few tbsp of the sun-dried tomatoes. Fold the other side of the butterflied breast over the fillings. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Repeat with the other 3 breasts.
- Sear: If you’d like, secure the chicken breasts closed with toothpicks. Heat the sun-dried tomato oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-proof skillet. Place the chicken breasts into the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden, then pour the broth and vinegar into the skillet.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through and the cheese is melty. Serve the chicken with the sauce from the skillet spooned over top.
FAQ
If you do, make sure they are skinless and boneless. Thighs are too thin to butterfly like the breasts, so I would pound them out with a meat tenderizer a little bit instead. This recipe will work for 6-8 thighs.
If you want a thicker sauce, I would whisk 1 or 2 tsp of cornstarch into the broth before pouring it into the pan.
When you have a beautiful skillet sauce like this, I like to have some form of carbohydrate to soak it all up. You can serve it with bread, rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta. Try riced cauliflower or cauliflower mash for a low-carb
Tips for making perfect stuffed chicken breasts
- Don’t over-stuff the chicken. The other half of the butterflied breast should fit very easily over the fillings.
- I like to secure the chicken with a couple toothpicks or trimmed skewers. This will help mitigate cheese melting out!
- If you use a thermometer to measure the chicken’s doneness, you won’t want to hit the middle with the fillings. Measure about 1/4″ or 1/2 cm into the top of the breast at an angle.
- Make sure you have something such as bread, rice, or pasta to soak up all that delicious sauce.
How to store leftover stuffed chicken breasts
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. These will also last for up to 6 months in the freezer. Make sure they have cooled down completely before freezing.
If you want to use this recipe as meal prep, you can freeze the chicken after stuffing and before baking! Wrap each breast well with plastic, transfer to an airtight container, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let the breasts thaw completely overnight in the fridge before continuing as written with the recipe.
How to reheat stuffed chicken breasts
Preheat the oven to 350F. I find it helps to let the chicken warm up at room temperature for about 20 minutes while the oven preheats. Place the leftover chicken in an oven-safe skillet or a baking dish. Pour any leftover sauce into the skillet as well. If there is none, add a splash of broth. Cover the skillet or dish with foil and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
Did you love this unique main dish? Try these:
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Tuscan Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
- 4 oz mozzarella shredded or sliced
- 8-12 fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil from the jar
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Place a chicken breast on your cutting board and firmly lay your hand flat on top of it. Carefully slice the chicken breast, starting from the front of the breast and working your way to the back. Stop about 1/2" from the end of the breast to keep it in one piece. Open the chicken breast. Repeat with the other 3 breasts.
- Lay the cheese over one half of the butterflied chicken breast, then lay 2-3 basil leaves over the cheese, and finally top with a few tbsp of the sun-dried tomatoes. Fold the other side of the butterflied breast over the fillings. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Repeat with the other 3 breasts.
- If you'd like, secure the chicken breasts closed with toothpicks. Heat the sun-dried tomato oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-proof skillet. Place the chicken breasts into the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden, then pour the broth and vinegar into the skillet.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through and the cheese is melty. Serve the chicken with the sauce from the skillet spooned over top.
I made this last night. Awesome recipe that includes a lot of our favourite ingredients. I can’t wait til we can have people over for dinner so I can show this off. I usually avoid recipes that call for stuffing meats, but this was super easy. The simple tip of laying your hand firmly on the chicken breast while you cut it was huge. Thanks, Nicole!
A firm hand and sharp knife is a cook’s best friend! Thank you so much for the thoughtful review š I’m glad it was a hit.
Another great recipe. Love your website and all your recipes
You are the sweetest! Thank you, Eileen!