How to Stuff Chicken Breasts
If you think chicken breasts are the plain white T-shirt of the dinner world—basic, dependable, but not exactly exciting—it’s time for a glow-up. Enter: chicken breasts stuffed with herbed goat cheese.
This dish is like sending your poultry on a weekend spa retreat and a date with a flavor stylist. We’re talking creamy, tangy goat cheese blended with fresh herbs, tucked neatly inside juicy, golden-browned chicken.
It’s elegant enough to serve at a dinner party, but easy enough to pull off on a random Tuesday when you’re tired of pretending cereal counts as a meal.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the simple steps to elevate your chicken game without breaking a sweat. We’ll butterfly those breasts like pros, whip up a herby goat cheese filling that tastes like springtime in a bite, and sear and bake to juicy perfection.
No fancy gadgets, no hard-to-find ingredients—just a handful of pantry staples and a willingness to try something that feels a little bit fancy.
So grab your apron, hide the cereal box, and let’s give those chicken breasts the makeover they deserve. Your taste buds (and anyone lucky enough to share your table) will thank you.
Ingredients
This dish packs a punch of flavor thanks to a cast of bold, aromatic ingredients. Tangy goat cheese forms the creamy heart of the filling, whipped smooth with a touch of fresh tarragon for that sweet, anise-kissed twist. Thyme and rosemary step in with their earthy, woodsy notes, giving the chicken a fragrant backbone that plays beautifully with the richness of the cheese.
Then comes the sauce—oh, the sauce. Roasted garlic adds mellow depth and a hint of sweetness, while peach chutney brings a bright, jammy tang that cuts through the savory richness like a charm. It’s sweet, savory, herby, and just a little sassy—kind of like your favorite dinner guest.
Together, these ingredients don’t just season the chicken; they turn it into a dish that tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
How to Stuff the Chicken Breast
To stuff a chicken breast like a pro, start with a sharp knife and a steady hand. Lay each chicken breast flat on a cutting board, smooth side up.
Hold it steady with your non-cutting hand, then carefully insert the tip of the knife into the thickest side of the breast. Gently cut a horizontal slit, going about three-quarters of the way through—not all the way out the other side—to create a pocket. Think of it as carving a cozy little cave for your goat cheese mixture to snuggle into.
Once the pocket’s open, use a spoon (or your fingers if you’re feeling rustic) to stuff in that herbed goat cheese goodness. Don’t overfill—it should be generously packed but not bursting at the seams.
If a little cheese peeks out, that’s fine—it just means flavor is trying to escape. Press the breast gently to seal it, and if needed, secure the opening with a toothpick or two to keep everything in place while it cooks.
Now you’ve got a stuffed chicken breast ready to impress—minimal fuss, maximum flavor.
Update: 1/16/11: We prepared 12 stuffed chicken breasts over the weekend for a dinner party arranged by my youngest daughter. She invited 4 of her close friends over for a sleepover, and we invited her friend’s parents. We prepped the chicken in the afternoon for an easy dinner.
The adults were served chicken breasts, asparagus risotto, and my oldest daughter’s special carrot dish. The kids enjoyed homemade fried chicken with french fries.
I made a few changes to the original recipe, making this dish great. You can change many ingredients depending on what’s in season and what you have on hand.
So, for example, I sautéed up a couple of diced garlic cloves and added them to the goat cheese mixture. We also changed the sauce using a commercial apricot jam instead of the peach chutney and did without the rosemary and garlic.
Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Herbed Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon chopped
- 4 boneless chicken breasts at room temperature
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon shallots chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 ounces red wine
- 2 tablespoons peach chutney
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
- 2 cups chicken stock reduced in half (chicken glaze)*
- 1 bulb roasted garlic mashed
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the goat cheese with chopped tarragon and season with salt and pepper.
- With a sharp knife, cut a slit in the side of each breast to form a pocket. Stuff each breast with goat cheese mixture and seal with a toothpick.
- Salt and pepper the breasts.
- Heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a sauté pan with enough room for all 4 breasts. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes on one side until lightly browned.
- Flip over and sauté an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat (not the filling) reaches 165° F.
- Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Sauté shallots in olive oil for 3 minutes until translucent.
- Deglaze pan with wine and reduce to an essence.
- Add chutney, thyme, rosemary, chicken stock, roasted garlic and reduce until sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon sauce over chicken breasts and serve.
