Let’s talk chicken breast—aka the gym bro of meats: lean, earnest, a little boring until you dress it properly. Most nights, it dries out faster than office banter. But not tonight. Tonight we take two humble fillets, slide in a little sun-dried scandal, wrap the whole thing in a clingy Italian number, and send it to the oven looking like it’s got dinner reservations under an alias.
This Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach & Cheese Baked Stuffed Chicken is the rare unicorn of weeknights: five minutes of prep, zero marinating, and a finish so juicy you’ll question everything you thought you knew about white meat. It’s also forgiving—no precision-chef anxiety, no brining dissertation. The secret isn’t wizardry; it’s geometry and fat in the right places: a quick stovetop sear, a smart pocket, and fillings that melt, perfume, and baste from the inside out.
Here's the recipe:
Why This Works (and Why It’s Ridiculously Easy)
- Fast move, big payoff. A paste-thick “Italian dressing” grips the chicken, so there’s no wait time. Straight from whisk to skillet to oven.
- Moisture insurance built in. Sun-dried tomatoes carry oil and acidity, cheese brings creamy fat—both drip into the meat as it cooks.
- Pocket engineering. Stuffing = less chicken mass to cook through + more internal heat transfer. Translation: faster, juicier.
- Infinite riffs. Don’t have mozzarella? Use provolone. No fresh spinach? Defrosted frozen works. This is a choose-your-own-adventure you can’t mess up (unless you skip the toothpicks—ask me how I know).
The Grocery List (for 2 ravenous mortals)
Chicken & Fillings
- 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz / 180 g each)
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced into ribbons
- 4 slices mozzarella (or any good melter: provolone, fontina, havarti)
- A generous handful of spinach leaves (fresh; or ½ cup frozen, squeezed dry)
- 2 tsp olive oil (for the sear)
Sticky Italian “Not-a-Marinade”
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- ½ tsp sugar (any kind)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp each dried Italian herbs and red pepper flakes
- Fine salt & black pepper
Note on tomatoes: the shriveled ones in a jar are doing the heavy lifting here. They look like raisins with a law degree but taste like summer concentrated.
The Battle Plan (a.k.a. Dinner in a Domino Effect)
1) Heat the stage.
Oven to 180°C / 350°F. Set an oven-safe skillet (cast iron if you own one) on the stove over high heat. You want that pan hot-hot, not polite.
2) Make the clingy coat.
Whisk the mustard, vinegar/lemon, sugar, olive oil, herbs, flakes, salt, and pepper. You’re going for a thin paste, not a runny dressing. Thicker = sticks to the bird, not the bowl.
3) Cut a pocket (and don’t panic).
Place a chicken breast flat on a board. With your knife parallel to the board, slice into the thick side to create a deep pocket—stop before you butterflied it to next week. Repeat with the other breast.
4) Slather like you mean it.
Rub the paste inside the pocket and all over the outside. This is the moment for generosity.
5) Load it up.
Stuff with sun-dried tomato ribbons, top with cheese, then finish with spinach. Pack it gently but firmly, like a suitcase you swore would be carry-on. Pin shut with toothpicks on a slight diagonal so they grip (remove before serving, unless you enjoy surprise splinters).
6) Sear for swagger.
Add 2 tsp oil to the screaming-hot skillet. Lay in the chicken and sear 1½ minutes per side until golden. We’re not cooking through; we’re building crust and confidence.
7) Bake till melty and done.
Slide the skillet into the oven for about 15 minutes for small breasts (see size logic below). You want cheese oozy and the internal temp at 74°C / 165°F in the thickest part. Rest 3 minutes, spoon the pan juices over the top, and practice your “who, me?” face.
Size Logic (a brief romance between mass and time)
Because you seared first and because stuffing cooks faster than solid muscle, you’ll shave minutes off the usual roast. Use this as a guide for 180°C / 350°F after the quick sear:
- Small (6 oz / 180 g): ~15 minutes
- Medium (7 oz / 210 g): ~18 minutes
- Large (8 oz / 250 g): ~20 minutes
Always let the thermometer, not your anxiety, make the final call: 74°C / 165°F is the finish line.
Variations (so you can clean out the fridge and still look clever)
- Pesto + Provolone: Swap tomatoes for 2 Tbsp pesto, use provolone, keep the spinach. Italian grandma energy.
- Mediterranean Mezze: Whipped feta + chopped kalamata olives + roasted peppers. Finish with lemon zest.
- Goat Cheese Garden: Soft goat cheese, sun-drieds, and basil ribbons. Peppery arugula on the side and you’re basically on holiday.
- Mushroom Melt: Sautéed mushrooms + gruyère + thyme. Earthy, moody, perfect for red wine and Tuesday night existentialism.
- Fiery Calabrese: Calabrian chile paste + fontina. Sweet-heat that hits like a charming bad idea.
- Low-key Freezer Raid: Frozen spinach (squeezed dry) + shredded mozzarella + a jarred artichoke heart, chopped. Nobody will know; everyone will ask for seconds.
Common Crimes (and their easy alibis)
- Dry Chicken, The Tragedy: You overbaked. Fix with a thermometer and respect the rest. Those 3 minutes off heat keep juices where they belong.
- Filling Escape: You forgot toothpicks or under-stuffed. Angle the picks and really fill the pocket; cheese shrinks while melting.
- Bland Town: You skimped on salt, or your “Italian herbs” died in 2018. Season the paste properly and use herbs that still smell like herbs.
- Soggy Pan, No Crust: Pan not hot enough. Preheat the skillet like you’re serious, then sear. Color = flavor.
Serve It Like You Meant To
- Quick plate: Slice on the bias, spoon over those tangy, tomato-cheese pan juices, shower with chopped parsley.
- Sides that flatter:
- Peppery rocket (arugula) salad with lemon and shaved Parm.
- Garlic green beans or tender-crisp broccolini.
- Creamy polenta or a spoon of orzo glossed with olive oil and herbs.
- Crusty bread for the pan sauce, because you’re not a monster.
- Wine: Chianti Classico if you swing red; a minerally Sauvignon Blanc if white is your love language.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers & “I Have a Life” Logistics
- Assemble ahead: Prep up to 8 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temp 15 minutes before searing so the inside doesn’t lag behind.
- Leftovers: Chill promptly; keep up to 3 days. Reheat at 160°C / 325°F until warmed through, or gentle pan reheat with a splash of water + lid. Microwave in 30-second bursts if you must—cover and don’t overdo it.
- Freeze? Cooked leftovers freeze decently for up to 2 months (wrap tight). Freshly assembled/unbaked is trickier because raw spinach weeps—par-sauté it first if you insist, then freeze.
The Recipe (pin it, print it, pretend it’s a family heirloom)
Serves: 2 (scale up shamelessly)
Active time: ~5 minutes | Total time: ~25 minutes
You’ll need
- 2 small chicken breasts (6 oz / 180 g each)
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 4 slices mozzarella (or similar)
- A handful fresh spinach (or ½ cup frozen, squeezed dry)
- 2 tsp olive oil (for searing)
Sticky Italian Coat
- 1 Tbsp Dijon
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp dried Italian herbs
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional heat)
- Salt & pepper
Do this
- Oven 180°C / 350°F. Preheat an oven-safe skillet over high heat.
- Whisk the coat until thick and clingy.
- Pocket each breast (knife parallel to board; don’t cut through).
- Slather inside and out with the coat.
- Stuff tomatoes → cheese → spinach. Pin with toothpicks.
- Sear in 2 tsp oil, 1½ minutes per side, till golden.
- Bake 15–20 minutes (size-dependent) to 74°C / 165°F.
- Rest 3 minutes. Douse with pan juices. Remove toothpicks (we like our guests).
Tiny Brags & Useful Extras
- Fancy finish: Microplane a little lemon zest over the sliced chicken. It wakes the whole plate up like a good punchline.
- Sauce booster: Whisk a teaspoon of the sun-dried tomato oil into the pan juices post-roast. It’s like adding subtitles—flavor suddenly reads louder.
- Feeding a crowd: Line up breasts on a sheet pan. Sear only the presentation side in batches (optional), then finish all together in the oven. People will assume you catered; you will not correct them.
The Parting Shot
There’s a universe where chicken breast is thrilling by default. We don’t live there. We live here—where a bit of mustard, a handful of spinach, and some sun-dried rubies turn lean into lush in under half an hour. It’s company-worthy without the hostage situation of a complicated sauce, and it’s weeknight-proof without the sadness of “healthy but joyless.”
Make it once and you’ll start keeping a jar of sun-drieds on standby like a secret identity. Because when dinner can be this easy and still swagger, why wouldn’t you want to live a little?
