Broccoli cheese stuffed chicken is just 6 ingredients and 10 minutes to prep then bakes until golden, crunchy and delicious for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love!

A fork resting on a white plate with a sliced broccoli cheese stuffed chicken breast served alongside mashed potatoes.

We love some stuffed chicken recipes in my house.

There are just endless possibilities and it’s a really easy way to change up the flavor of your same old chicken dinner.

My kiddos love pizza stuffed chicken and cheesy Mexican stuffed chicken breasts.

I make these chicken breasts stuffed with prosciutto, spinach and mozzarella for company and in the fall, I adore this apple and brie stuffed chicken.

Like I said, so many ways you can change things up.

Also to note, I keep mine really easy by just butterflying the chicken breasts, adding the stuffings and either baking them or cooking them in the skillet.

No pounding them out or rolling them up and securing with toothpicks and making a fuss. Just easy weeknight dinners that don’t stress me out.

And today, we’re making one of my favorite flavor combinations, broccoli cheese stuffed chicken.

Cheesy broccoli was one of my favorite veggie sides as a kid, and I have fond memories of getting broccoli cheese stuffed baked potatoes at Wendy’s baked potato bar back in the day after I had swim practices at night.

(I’ve even made a version, with some protein added, in these fast cheesy chicken and broccoli twice baked potatoes.)

And tonight, this favorite combo is getting center stage treatment as our main meal.

Crunchy baked chicken breasts stuffed with broccoli and cheese on a foil lined baking sheet after cooking.

These chicken breasts are seasoned then filled with steamed, chopped broccoli and shredded cheese.

We’re topping them with some buttery breadcrumbs and then baking them for a hands-off dinner that gets a gorgeous browned, crunchy crust and has a cheesy, melty filling.

Bonus, they are just 6 ingredients and only take about 10 minutes to prep.

That’s my kind of easy family dinner - and with few ingredients!

So let’s get cooking.

A butterflied chicken breast laying open on a cutting board and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

A butterflied chicken breast laying open on a cutting board with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped broccoli piled on one side.

Breadcrumb coated stuffed chicken breasts on a foil lined baking sheet before being cooked

Crunchy golden brown broccoli cheese stuffed chicken breasts on a foil lined baking sheet after coming out of the oven.

Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up on how to make broccoli cheese stuffed chicken breasts. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Notes on making broccoli cheese stuffed chicken:

Chicken breasts: You need to butterfly the chicken to get it ready for stuffing. Check out that post for step-by-step photos and a tutorial if it’s your first time. Also, it helps to have decent sized chicken breasts, not the super thin ones or perfectly portioned ones, since you’ll have to slice them across in half to stuff them.
Broccoli: The broccoli needs to be steamed and finely chopped for this recipe. Please plan accordingly.
Cheese: Cheddar is my go to, and I prefer a sharp cheddar for the best flavor. Regular cheddar or a white cheddar is great. You could even switch it up and try this with mozzarella or pepper Jack for a twist.
Breadcrumbs: The buttery breadcrumb mixture on top of this chicken gives it a great crunchy crust, and looks delicious, too. However, you can skip it if you want to keep this gluten-free or low-carb or keto-friendly. (I’d recommend sprinkling the top with a little paprika or some extra cheese to give it a finishing look.)

Close up of a broccoli cheddar stuffed chicken breast on a foil lined baking sheet after coming out of the oven.

Also, as mentioned, I don’t secure my chicken breasts with toothpicks or string before baking. I find that butterflying them and just folding them back over is sufficient.

And I’m kinda lazy like that. 🤷‍♀️

If the stuffing in your chicken breasts looks like it might want to fall apart, feel free to add a few toothpicks. 👍

Oh, and I use and recommend using a digital thermometer to ensure your chicken is properly cooked through. It should get to 165 before you remove it from the oven.

Want to make this ahead? Totally do-able.

Make ahead notes:

- You can prep this recipe ahead of time through step 4 in the instructions below (getting the chicken prepped and stuffed). Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

- Remove from the refrigerator when preheating the oven and add the breadcrumb mixture to the top of the chicken breasts. Bake as directed, adding an additional 5 minutes if needed to ensure everything is cooked through and hot.

A chicken breast stuffed with broccoli and cheese being lifted from a baking sheet by a spatula

OK, let’s get ready to eat.

Serving ideas for broccoli cheese chicken:

– Pair these chicken breasts with some roasted potatoes - or oven fries or tater tots to round out the meal. They’ll cook in the oven at the same time as the chicken.

– An orzo salad or pasta salad would also be great with this.

– You can even do some mashed potatoes or polenta and your favorite steamed or roasted veggie.

– Cauliflower rice and roasted vegetables would also be good here for a low-carb option.

Lots of options, since this is a pretty versatile dish.

A broccoli cheese stuffed chicken breast served with mashed potatoes on a round white plate.

Last thing, if you have leftovers…

Leftover broccoli cheese chicken will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

I recommend slicing it before you reheat it — which you can do either in the microwave or stovetop — so it warms through more evenly and more quickly without drying out the chicken.

I hope you enjoy this new way to stuff your chicken for an easy dinner the whole family will enjoy.

Happy cooking!

XO,

Kathryn

Yield: 4 servings

Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Name: Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 (6-7 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 1 small head of broccoli, steamed and finely chopped; 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 cup breadcrumbs; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Broccoli cheese stuffed chicken is just 6 ingredients and 10 minutes to prep then bakes until golden, crunchy and delicious for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

4 (6-7 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small head of broccoli, steamed and finely chopped
1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375. Line an 8x12 or 9x13 baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray then set aside. (You can also use a glass casserole dish and just spray it with cooking spray.
Butterfly chicken breasts by cutting through them, not all the way, horizontally and opening like a book. (See this how-to post for details if needed.) Season the insides of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Add a sprinkle of cheese to one side of each opened chicken breast, top with chopped broccoli and then add another hearty sprinkle of cheese. (This seals in the broccoli.)
Fold the chicken breast over to close it up then carefully place in the baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and breadcrumbs. Spread the mixture on top of the chicken breasts.
Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown on top and chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165.
Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

Chicken breasts: You need to butterfly the chicken to get it ready for stuffing. Check out that post for step-by-step photos and a tutorial if it’s your first time. Also, it helps to have decent sized chicken breasts, not the super thin ones or perfectly portioned ones, since you’ll have to slice them across in half to stuff them.

Broccoli: The broccoli needs to be steamed and finely chopped for this recipe.

Cheese: Cheddar is my go to, and I prefer a sharp cheddar for the best flavor. Regular cheddar or a white cheddar is great. You could even switch it up and try this with mozzarella or pepper Jack for a twist.

Breadcrumbs: The buttery breadcrumb mixture on top of this chicken gives it a great crunchy crust, and looks delicious, too. However, you can skip it if you want to keep this gluten-free or low-carb or keto-friendly. (I’d recommend sprinkling the top with a little paprika or some extra cheese to give it a finishing look.)

Make ahead: You can prep this recipe ahead of time through step 4. Cover and refrigerate. Remove when preheating the oven, add the breadcrumb mixture and bake as directed, adding an additional 5 minutes if needed to ensure everything is cooked through and hot.

Leftovers: Leftover broccoli cheese chicken will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend slicing it before you reheat it — which you can do either in the microwave or stovetop — so it warms through more evenly and more quickly without drying out the chicken.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 541Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 842mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 33g