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Brie Stuffed Chicken Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Brie Stuffed Chicken Recipe

I still remember the first time I pulled this brie stuffed chicken out of the oven and cut into it that melty pool of cheese oozing over golden chicken had me hooked instantly. I never thought a dinner this impressive could come together with just a handful of ingredients I already had in my kitchen
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts – pick breasts that are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
  • 5 oz brie cheese sliced into 6 pieces – go for a good quality wheel; it melts smoother than the pre-cut wedges.
  • 1 small onion finely chopped – yellow or red both work, just chop it small so it cooks fast.
  • 1 clove garlic minced – fresh garlic makes a noticeable difference here over the jarred kind.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil – good for both sautéing the filling and searing the chicken.
  • 6 oz fresh spinach roughly chopped – skip frozen spinach, it releases too much water and turns the filling soggy.
  • ½ cup dried cranberries – unsweetened is my go-to but sweetened works if that's what you have.
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme – adds a subtle earthy note that ties the sweet and savory flavors together.
  • ½ teaspoon salt – season both the filling and the outside of the chicken.
  • Ground black pepper to taste – freshly cracked pepper gives the best flavor.

Method
 

  1. Start by heating your oven to 375°F so it's ready when you need it. Take each chicken breast and slice it horizontally, almost all the way through, so it opens up like a book. Gently pound it a little flatter with your palm or a mallet, then set the pieces aside on your cutting board while you make the filling.
  2. Warm the olive oil in your skillet over medium-low heat, then toss in the garlic and onion. Cook them for a couple of minutes until they turn soft and fragrant. Stir in the chopped spinach, cranberries, thyme, salt, and pepper, and let everything cook down for about a minute until the spinach wilts. Pull the pan off the heat once it's ready.
  3. Lay a slice of brie inside each opened chicken breast, then spoon a portion of the spinach and cranberry mixture right next to it. Fold the chicken back over the filling and wrap kitchen twine around it a few times to hold everything together. Repeat with the rest of the breasts, then sprinkle the outside of each one with a little extra salt and pepper.
  4. Place your skillet back over medium-high heat with a touch more oil. Add the stuffed chicken breasts and sear them for about three minutes on each side. You're not trying to cook them through here, just building a golden crust that locks in flavor before they go into the oven.
  5. Cover the skillet with foil or a lid and slide it into your preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Once the timer goes off, pull the chicken out and let it rest for five minutes before snipping away the twine. This little pause helps the juices settle back into the meat instead of spilling out the moment you cut it.

Notes

  • I always dry my chicken breasts with a paper towel before searing so I get a better golden crust.
  • I keep my filling slightly on the drier side, since too much liquid makes it harder to seal the chicken shut.
  • I like slicing my brie ahead of time and popping it in the freezer for 10 minutes, which makes it so much easier to handle.
  • I never skip resting the chicken after baking, because it keeps every slice juicy instead of watery.
  • I sometimes wrap each stuffed breast in a strip of bacon before searing for an extra layer of smoky flavor.