Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breast with Spinach and Cheese
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Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breast is a great summertime recipe. Stuffing marinated chicken breast with provolone, spinach, and roasted red pepper is a sure way to transform an ordinary grilled chicken breast into everyone’s favorite main course. You will never want to grill chicken breast any other way!
Table of contents
I am not a fan of grilled boneless skinless chicken breasts. They tend to dry out easily and can be just plain boring. I usually steer towards Grilled Chicken Legs or Smoked Chicken Drumsticks because they are always moist and tender. This chicken breast recipe changes all of that. The marinade helps to keep the chicken moist and flavorful, and the stuffing is just a deliciously savory surprise!
This stuffed grilled chicken breast recipe has become one of our go-to recipes, once grilling season arrives!
Ingredients:
Boneless Chicken breast: The chicken breasts need to be boneless. I prefer to make this chicken recipe without the skin but you can leave the skin on if you like.
Baby Spinach Leaves: I use baby spinach leaves because they are more tender than regular spinach, but you can use regular spinach if that is what you have. I would just remove any stems, and tough ribs if you do.
Provolone Cheese: The sandwich-size slices work best for this recipe. You can use sharp or extra sharp provolone depending on what you like best.
Roasted Red Bell Peppers: Slice or chop them so that it is easy to layer them in the chicken breast.
Marinade Ingredients:
For the marinade you will need: Olive Oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and ground black pepper.
How to Make Stuffed Grilled Chicken Breast!
1) Marinade the chicken:
Prepare the marinade, pour it over the chicken, and refrigerate for 2 hours and up to 12 hours. You can use a glass baking dish or a plastic bag to marinade the chicken in.
Tip:
If you use a plastic bag to marinade in, place it on a dish in case there are any leaks. Save yourself the hassle of having to clean a mess.
2) Stuff the chicken:
Butterfly or cut pockets in the chicken for the stuffing.
How to butterfly a chicken breast:
Place the chicken breast on a cutting board with the thickest part of the breast pointing away from you. Put your hand flat on the chicken breast and using a sharp knife cut the side of the chicken breast horizontally, starting at about 1” from the thickest end and moving toward the thin end. Stop cutting before you cut the breast completely in half.
Assemble the Breast
Layer each chicken breast with a slice of provolone, a few spinach leaves, and the roasted red pepper then fold the top half of the chicken breast over to close it.
3) Grill the chicken
Carefully transfer the stuffed chicken breast to a grill that has been prepared to medium high heat on one side. Cook the chicken for about 8 minutes per side over direct heat. The breasts will have nice grill marks and the outside of the chicken will be cooked. Now move the chicken to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking through. Very large chicken breasts may take a little longer to cook.
Tips:
- Use a large grilling spatula to carefully flip the chicken breast so the filling does not fall out. To make flipping easier, you can also use a couple of toothpicks to secure the breast closed.
- When you remove the chicken from the heat, it will continue to cook. Take it off the grill at 160° F and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. This will ensure that the chicken reaches a safe temperature of 165°F without overcooking and drying out. You will be rewarded with juicy, tender chicken!
Simple Recipe Variations
The great thing about this type of recipe is that you can customize based on what you have on hand. Here are some suggestions you might want to try.
- Swap out the cheese: Use mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese in place of the provolone.
- Try sun-dried tomatoes or other sweet peppers instead of the roasted red peppers.
- Add some spice with the addition of red pepper flakes or slices of jalapeño peppers.
- Spread some basil pesto on the inside of the chicken breast before layer the other ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions:
To check for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. When the chicken’s internal temperature, measured with an instant-read thermometer, reaches 165°, it is fully cooked and safe to eat.
The rule of thumb is that if the item you are grilling is more then 3/4” thick you should grill with the lid closed. If it is less then 3/4″ that leave the lid open.
You certainly can place the chicken on a piece of aluminum foil if you like. It will keep the juices and filling from falling through the grates, but you won’t get those beautiful char and marks from cooking directly on the grill grates.
What Sides Go Well with Grilled Stuffed Chicken?
Here are some of our favorite side dishes to serve with grilled stuffed chicken breast: Italian Green Bean Salad with Potatoes, Watermelon Tomato Salad with Feta and Balsamic, and Zesty Italian Pasta Salad.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
This recipe was inspired by other Italian recipes I love. From the balsamic marinade to the gooey provolone cheese, this has all the makings of a great Italian dish! Here are some other Italian chicken recipes you might want to try. Chicken Pomodoro is a family favorite made with spinach and tomatoes, perfect for family dinners as well as special occasions. Chicken Limone is also a wonderful dish that is ready in minutes.
Some of my other popular poultry recipes include Simple Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken, Easy Herb Roasted Chicken, Lemon, Garlic, Herb, Chicken Marinade, and Smoked Turkey Legs.
I love to get your feedback so if you tried this Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breast or any other recipes on this website, please leave me a comment below. I hope you enjoy our recipes and look forward to hearing from you!
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Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breast with Spinach and Cheese
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Ingredients
- 3 Chicken breast boneless, skinless
- ¾ cups Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 3 slices Provolone Cheese
- ½ cup Baby Spinach Leaves fresh
- ¼ cup Roasted Red Peppers sliced or chopped
Instructions
- Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in medium glass bowl and mix well.
- Place the chicken breast in a plastic bag or a glass baking dish and pour the marinade over the chicken. Make sure the chicken is completed coated on all sides. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Starting at the thickest end of the breast, use a sharp knife to slice a large pocket into the breast horizontally, Don't cut the chicken breast all the way through.
- Spread the chicken breast open and salt and pepper each one. Lay a slice of provolone on the breast, follow with a layer of spinach leaves and then 1/3 of the roasted red pepper. Fold the chicken breast over to close it.
- Carefully transfer the stuffed chicken breast to a grill that has been prepared to medium high heat on one side. Cook the chicken for about 8 minutes per side over direct heat. The breasts will have nice grill marks and the outside of the chicken will be cooked. Now move the chicken to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking through, about another 10 -15 minutes. Very large chicken breasts may take a little longer to cook.
- Check the internal temperature of the chicken by inserting a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. When the internal temperature reaches 160°, transfer the chicken to a plate and tent it. allowing it to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
I’m not a fan of chicken breast normally but these look and sound so flavourful I’m going to make them next week!
Thanks Zhen! I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Delicious and moist.