Cranberry Spinach Stuffed Chicken (Printable Version)
Tender chicken pockets stuffed with spinach, cream cheese, feta and tangy cranberries, baked until golden.
# What You'll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Filling
02 - 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
03 - 0.5 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
04 - 0.5 cup cream cheese, softened
05 - 0.25 cup feta cheese, crumbled
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 0.25 teaspoon sea salt
→ Seasoning
10 - 1 teaspoon paprika
11 - 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
13 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic and chopped spinach until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine sautéed spinach, softened cream cheese, crumbled feta, and chopped cranberries. Add 0.25 teaspoon sea salt and 0.25 teaspoon pepper. Mix thoroughly to form the filling.
04 - Using a sharp knife, cut a deep pocket into the thickest side of each chicken breast, without slicing all the way through.
05 - Evenly spoon the spinach-cranberry filling into each chicken pocket. Seal with toothpicks as needed.
06 - In a small bowl, combine paprika, thyme, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.25 teaspoon pepper. Brush each chicken breast with 1 tablespoon olive oil and coat evenly with the seasoning mix.
07 - Place stuffed and seasoned chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
09 - Remove toothpicks and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Your friends will never guess how easy it is to get that gorgeous swirl of color inside when you slice it open.
- I keep coming back for how the sweet tartness of cranberries balances all that creamy, melty filling and juicy chicken.
02 -
- Packing in too much filling makes it spill out and sizzle on the pan—leave a little wiggle room inside each pocket.
- Brushing the chicken with olive oil before seasoning helps every spice stick and colors the final crust beautifully.
03 -
- Cut your chicken pockets on the thicker side, aiming for depth rather than width, to avoid tearing and keep all the goodness inside.
- Tuck any stray cranberries under the meat before baking so they don’t burn and go bitter.