Parmesan and Herb Stuffed Chicken is an easy, quick, and healthy weeknight dinner! Juicy chicken breasts stuffed with a combination of fresh herbs, garlic, parmesan cheese and olive oil then seared and baked in the oven.
Enjoy more of the best easy chicken breast recipes like Chicken Parmesan and Chicken Marsala.
This is one of my favorite protein-packed entrees to make! Parmesan and herb stuffed chicken is a reminder that eating healthier doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor. This is a delightfully simple dish but it has so much great flavor to it!
The parmesan and garlic all by themselves create a pretty mouthwatering flavor, but it’s the fresh herbs that really bring it all together. Freshly minced parsley, dill weed and basil create a bouquet of herbaceous taste and aroma that makes this chicken dinner a step above the rest!
There’s nothing better than when your food isn’t just delicious, but also aromatically pleasing as well. If you have an herb garden, this recipe is sure to be one of your favorites… And if not, store bought fresh herbs works just as well of course!
While you could just pop your stuffed chicken breasts into the oven and have them still turn out tasty, I highly recommend following my simple searing steps! When you sear the chicken on the outside, you create SO much more rich flavor. Totally worth the short extra step.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken – You’ll need chicken breasts for this recipe and try to make sure they are the same size so everything cooks evenly. Trim the fat as needed.
Fresh Herbs – A medley of parsley, basil, chives, and dill weed create the very best flavor.
Garlic – For the best flavor and aroma, always try to use fresh garlic.
Parmesan Cheese – Make sure you’re only using freshly grated parmesan cheese, not pre-shredded. Pre-shredded cheeses have separating agents mixed in that prevent the cheese from clumping in the bag, which affects how the cheese melts and tastes. Many grocery store deli departments will have freshly grated parmesan cheese so you don’t have to do it yourself.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Parmesan and Herb Stuffed Chicken
Make the filling. Combine the fresh minced herbs, pressed garlic cloves, a pinch of salt and black pepper. Set a little bit of this aside to rub the chicken with later. Mix in one cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese until it’s fully incorporated. Set aside.
Slice the chicken. Start off by laying the chicken breast flat on a cutting board. Carefully slide the knife at the top of the chicken breast downwards through the center, creating a pocket in the middle. It helps to hold the knife sideways with the blade facing away from you.
PRO TIP: Be sure to NOT slice all the way through the bottom or sides of the chicken breast! If you don’t create a true pocket, the parmesan will ooze out of the chicken as it bakes in the oven. The goal here is to create a pocket that you can stuff with the filling.
Stuff the chicken with the filling. Evenly divide the herb filling mixture between the sliced chicken breasts. Securely close the openings of the chicken pockets with a toothpick.
Sear the chicken. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add oil. Be sure to use a skillet that can go from the stove top to the oven. Season each stuffed chicken breast with the herb mixture you reserved earlier. Add salt and pepper as desired. Sear each chicken breast for about a minute on each side until golden.
Bake. Transfer the skillet into the oven. Bake at 375°F for about 15 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
Serve. Garnish the cooked chicken with the remaining parmesan cheese before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Since this is such a simple entrée, you can really pair this stuffed chicken with whatever side dish you want!
Some of my favorite healthier side dishes include salads like Caesar Salad or Greek Salad.
Great vegetables side dishes would be Whole Roasted Cauliflower, Haricots Verts, Ratatouille, Italian Roasted Asparagus, and Mashed Cauliflower.
Craving something a little more hearty and comforting to pair with this stuffed chicken? You’ll love my some of my easy recipes like Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Potatoes, Rice Pilaf, and Creamy Asparagus.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you definitely should use a toothpick or two to close the opening on the stuffed chicken before cooking it. If you don’t, there’s a good chance that a lot of the filling will be pushed out as the meat cooks.
Using the stove to oven method helps keep the chicken moist. When you sear the chicken first on the stove, it will help create a lot of flavor but also will seal the outside to help prevent juices from running out. It’s also important not to overcook the chicken. Check the chicken with a meat thermometer at the lower time variance and bake a couple more minutes if needed. It’s important not to overcook the chicken because that’s the most common reason for dry chicken.
Yes, you can! If you wish to grill this stuffed chicken, make sure to prepare two temperature zones on your grill and preheat the grill first. Soak the toothpicks in water for about 30 minutes before preparing the chicken. Close the opening on the stuffed chicken breasts with soaked toothpicks to keep the filling in. Start by searing the chicken on the hot side of the preheated grill and once the outside is nicely seared, move the chicken over to the cooler side to finish cooking inside. Close the grill and let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
More Easy Stuffed Chicken Recipes
Apple Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Chicken
BBQ Bacon Stuffed Chicken Breast
Sun Dried Tomato Feta Stuffed Chicken
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Parmesan and Herb Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.75-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 chicken breasts)
- 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp minced fresh basil
- 1 tbsp minced fresh dill weed
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping
- salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine minced herbs, pressed garlic cloves and some salt and pepper. Mix well. Set aside a little bit of herb mixture for rubbing the chicken.
- Add 1 cup of Parmesan cheese and mix well. Set aside.
To Stuff The Chicken:
- Lay chicken breast flat on the cutting board. Carefully, slide the knife (hold it sideways with blade facing away from you) at the top (wider part) of the chicken breast, in the center, and cut a pocket in the middle. DO NOT slice all the way through the bottom or the sides of the chicken breast. Your ultimate goal is to create a pocket inside the breast with opening at the top. Repeat with all breasts.
- Divide the filling mixture evenly and pack the chicken breasts with the parmesan herb mixture inside. Close the opening of the chicken pocket with a toothpick.
Cooking:
- Preheat the oven to 375°.Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat and add some oil. (Make sure to use a pan that can go from stove-top to oven.
- Season the outside of each chicken breast with some salt and pepper and spread the remaining herb mixture over the stuffed chicken breasts. Sear the chicken on each side for about a minute, until golden, and then transfer it into the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°.
- Top off with remaining Parmesan cheese and serve.
- Pro Tip: you will have tasty juices leftover in the pan after baking the chicken, use those juices and top off your chicken when serving and add some over the potatoes and veggies too.
Megan Skahan says
Can I bake these instead? If so, what temp do you recommend and for how long?