Baked Ricotta Stuffed Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken breasts filled with creamy ricotta, spinach, and herbs, baked until golden. Perfect for weeknights or special occasions.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Ricotta Filling
05 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
06 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - ¼ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Topping
13 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
15 - ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken breasts in a single layer.
02 - In a bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, spinach, basil, garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until well combined.
03 - Pat chicken breasts dry. Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket in the side of each breast, being careful not to cut all the way through.
04 - Stuff each chicken breast with an equal amount of the ricotta mixture. Secure with toothpicks if needed.
05 - Brush the outside of each breast with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
06 - Place the stuffed breasts in the baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
07 - Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, top each breast with mozzarella cheese, and return to oven for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the cheese is golden and bubbly.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Remove toothpicks before plating.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The ricotta filling stays incredibly creamy and moist even after baking
- It comes together faster than most stuffed chicken recipes but tastes like you spent all day cooking
02 -
- Don't overfill the pockets or the ricotta might burst out during baking leaving you with less filling than you planned
- The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F but I usually pull it at 160°F since the residual heat will finish the cooking during resting
03 -
- Bring the chicken to room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking so it cooks more evenly
- Let the assembled stuffed chicken rest for 10 minutes before baking to help the filling set