To make the filling, gather goat cheese, frozen spinach, garlic powder, lemon zest, and (optional) red pepper flakes. For the chicken breast recipe, you’ll need boneless skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt, black pepper, and vegetable oil (such as olive oil or avocado oil).
To make the sauce, gather unsalted butter, a shallot, white wine (or chicken stock), lemon juice, fresh basil leaves, and balsamic glaze (optional).
Cheese: Goat cheese tends to be one of those cheeses that people either love or hate. If you’re not so in love, or if you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute another soft cheese like feta and cream cheese. Both would complement the recipe and still provide a similar creaminess to goat cheese chicken breast. Spinach: If there’s no frozen spinach in sight, you can also use fresh spinach for your goat cheese spinach chicken. It’s best to saute spinach in a pan first and let it come to room temperature before adding it to the goat cheese filling. Sun-dried tomatoes: If you’re looking for extra Italian flavor, soft sun-dried tomatoes would pair well with this goat cheese stuffed chicken breast. Simply add a half cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the goat cheese mixture.Onion: This recipe calls for a shallot, but a small onion would also work. You’ll need about a half cup of onion in place of the shallot. Wine: I love to add a dry white wine to my sauce to really amp up the flavor. However, you can also use chicken stock in its place for a non-alcoholic, yet still delicious, sauce.
Store: Store the leftovers of this stuffed chicken breast with goat cheese and spinach in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat: To avoid drying out the chicken, reheat the dish in a low-heat oven (I recommend 300 degrees F) for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Resist the urge to overfill: I know it’s tempting to stuff the chicken to the brim with the delicious goat cheese mixture, but doing so causes the melty cheese to leak out and make a mess. Fill each breast with about 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture for the best results. Ensure the chicken breasts aren’t too big: A 6-8 oz chicken breast works best for this recipe to ensure even cooking. If any of the chicken breasts are particularly large or thick, you can pound them down to make them more thin. Simply place plastic wrap over the chicken and use a meat mallet or something similar to pound it to an even thickness. Trust the process: Searing the chicken stuffed with goat cheese requires patience, as you may want to flip it before it’s done searing on one side. Use a cast iron or stainless steel pan for best results, and wait for the chicken to naturally release from the pan before flipping. Aim to sear for about 4-5 minutes per side. Don’t overcrowd the pan: An overcrowded pan wouldn’t give you that nice, crisp sear you’re after, so you may need to cook the chicken in two batches depending on the size of your pan and the size of the chicken breasts.Toothpicks are a must: Once you stuff the chicken with goat cheese and spinach, insert 2-3 toothpicks into each breast to prevent the filling from oozing out. This step is a must unless you want a goat cheese mess! Just remember to remove the toothpicks right before serving. Check doneness before serving: Make sure to check the doneness of your chicken with a meat thermometer (affiliate link). The internal temperature of each breast should register at least 165 degrees F.
Serve it with a big salad: We have a wide variety of Spring, Summer, and Autumn salads here on the blog, many of which would pair beautifully with this chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese for a gluten free and low carb meal. Pair it with rice or pasta: Add a whole grain, filling carbohydrate to this recipe for a well-rounded meal. Some of my favorite grain-based sides are this Wild Rice Pilaf, my Lemon Garlic Quinoa, and this Bulgur Pilaf. I also love this yummy Rice Pilaf with orzo. Or, serve your chicken with this irresistible Spinach Artichoke Pasta or Gigi Hadid’s Spicy Pasta for a true Italian dish. Add a side veggie: Turn this baked chicken with goat cheese into a cozy, comforting meal by pairing it with my Rosemary Mashed Potatoes. If you’re in the mood for something green, serve it with fresh asparagus, like my Sauteed Asparagus. These Butter Garlic String Beans are also a great healthy dish.
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