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 Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time40 minutesmins
Yield: 4servings
Ingredients
4(6-7 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1small head of broccoli, steamed and finely chopped
1 ½cupsshredded sharp cheddar cheese
½teaspoonkosher salt
¼teaspoonblack pepper
¼teaspoongarlic powder
½cupbreadcrumbs
3tablespoonsunsalted 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.