How Do I Cook a Stuffed Chicken Breast?

You can cook a stuffed chicken breast with a variety of methods, including: 

• Baking in an oven or air fryer
• Roasting in a pan 
• Barbequing on a grill 

The easiest and most common way to cook a stuffed chicken breast is in the oven. In this short guide, we’ll cover all the ins and outs of cooking your stuffed chicken breast to perfection using your oven. 

How to Cook Stuffed Chicken Breast in the Oven

Cooking chicken can be a little bit scary! We’ve all heard the horror stories of salmonella and food poisoning—but with these tips, you don’t have to be worried. Here are our top five tips on how to cook stuffed chicken in the oven.

1. Choose the right vessel

Make sure that you’re cooking your chicken in an oven-safe receptacle. You can use a baking sheet, casserole dish, or our personal favorite, a cast iron pan. The best thing about a cast iron skillet is that you can sear your chicken first before popping it in the oven!

Cook Coaching: “Searing” is when you heat up your pan to a high temperature and quickly cook all sides of your meat for 30-60 seconds until lightly browned. The meat will still be raw in the center. This process gives a nice texture to the meat and locks in flavor!

2. Turn up the heat!

Choose a recipe that calls for a higher temperature for less time. This technique helps your chicken stay…yes, we’re going to say it….moist and delicious. When baking at a lower temperature for a long period of time, you may dry out the chicken, which is not as tasty! 

3. Keep your eyes peeled…

Not literally, of course. No matter what temperature or how long you’re baking for, it’s very important to check in on your chicken to make sure you’re not overcooking it. The chicken should be golden brown on the outside, a little bit smaller in size, and white all the way through. (We’ll give you the ultimate tip for how to tell if your chicken is done in a moment!)

4. Let it rest

After you remove your chicken from the oven, you should let it rest—that is, let it sit out for a little while before cutting into it. There are two reasons to do this when cooking meat: 

1. Your meat will continue to cook after you remove it from the oven. This is known as “carryover cooking.” Removing it a few moments before reaching the target doneness can make sure your meat is perfectly finished. While this will happen with poultry, for food safety reasons it is not recommended to remove chicken from heat before it reaches the right temperature. 
2. While resting, the meat will reabsorb juices and seasonings, giving more flavor and better texture to your food.
   

Cook Coaching: A good rule of thumb is to let your meat rest for half the amount of time it cooked for. So if you baked your chicken for 20 minutes, it should rest for 10. This isn’t just for chicken! You should let any thick cut of meat rest—especially beef and pork.

How Do You Know When Stuffed Chicken Breast Is Cooked?

The easiest way to check if the stuffed chicken breast is cooked fully is to cut it in half. The chicken should be white all the way through, no pink or reddish hue to the meat, and the juices should run clear. The best way to be sure that your chicken is done is to stick an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest section of meat. Your chicken should reach a temperature of at least 165°F. 

Cook Coaching: When cooking meat or eggs, there are three important temperatures to remember – fresh meat like steaks, chops, and roasts should be cooked to 145°F. Eggs and all ground meats should be cooked to 160°F. Poultry and fowl to 165°F. Always put your thermometer in the thickest part, avoiding fat and bone, to get the most accurate reading. If you want to take advantage of carryover cooking, remove your meat from the heat when it is about five degrees less than the desired temperature. Remember not to do this for poultry!

What Temperature to Cook Stuffed Chicken Breast

The recipe should designate the proper temperature and cook time for the stuffed chicken breast. Follow the recipe and be sure to keep in mind the cooking tips from above! If you decide to adjust the temperature, remember that a lower oven temperature means a longer cooking time and vice versa. As we shared earlier, you may want to try cooking your chicken on a higher setting for less time—just be sure to check with your meat thermometer to make sure it’s cooked all the way through!

Temperature Guide: How Long to Cook Stuffed Chicken Breast in the Oven

• How long to cook stuffed chicken breast in oven at 350°F: around 35-45 minutes
• How long to cook stuffed chicken breast at 375°F: around 30-40 minutes
• How long to cook stuffed chicken breast at 400°F: around 25-35 minutes
• How long to cook stuffed chicken breast at 425°F: around 20-30 minutes
• How long to cook stuffed chicken breast at 450°F: around 15-20 minutes

Cook coaching: Whenever there is a range of cook time given, set your timer for the lower number and check at that time. This range is given because oven temperatures fluctuate based on the model, type, and age of the oven. A new gas oven may have a much different temperature than an old electric oven even if they are both set to 350°F!

Our Favorite Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe: Mozzarella Stuffed Breaded Chicken Breast

Ready to try your hand at cooking a stuffed chicken breast? Check out this tasty, cheesy recipe (adapted from Damn Delicious) for a quick and easy weeknight dinner!

Mozzarella Stuffed Breaded Chicken Breast

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

2 cups chopped baby spinach

1 cup sun dried tomatoes

1 large egg

1 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup basil leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil your baking vessel with olive oil or nonstick spray. You can use a 9×13 baking dish or a cast iron skillet. 
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. 
3. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut each breast horizontally most of the way through to create a pocket for the filling. 
4. Inside the pocket, tuck in mozzarella cheese, spinach, and tomatoes to create layers of delicious filling! Don’t worry about overstuffing, just equally distribute these ingredients between all four breasts. 
5.  After stuffing, crack your egg into one bowl and place your breadcrumbs in another. Dip the stuffed, raw chicken breast into the egg first and then the breadcrumbs. Make sure to cover completely! If you want, you can add a teaspoon or two of Italian seasoning to the breadcrumbs for extra flavor. 
6. Place the chicken onto your prepared baking dish and bake until completely cooked. This will take about 25-35 minutes. Make sure it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
7. Chiffonade basil and sprinkle on top of each stuffed breast once out of the oven and resting. 

Cook coaching: “Chiffonade” is a French word that translates to “made of rags.” In cooking, this means to chop your leafy greens into long thin strips.

Did you enjoy this guide? Explore our other chicken recipes to find tomorrow’s dinner! Looking for a unique cocktail to enjoy at the end of the day? Check out our drink options to learn how to craft an artisan drink at home!