Pan Fried Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the best way to stuff chicken breast? ›

Use a soup spoon or your hands to scoop the filling into the pocket of each breast. Pin the breast closed. Use a toothpick to hold each pocket closed by inserting it on either side of the pocket. Brown the breasts.

Getting a good sear through medium high heat, then reducing the heat to LOW and COVERING the chicken while it cooks. The butter, oil, and chicken juices create a super flavorful liquid that acts as a way to steam the chicken at a low temperature, ensuring that it is moist & tender on the inside.

Tenderness: The lactic acid in milk helps to break down the proteins in the chicken, resulting in a tender and moist texture. Flavor Infusion: Milk can act as a carrier for other flavors, such as herbs and spices, allowing them to penetrate the chicken and create a delicious taste profile.

If you prefer a tender and moist result, covered baking will be the better option. If you're desiring a crispy exterior and bolder flavors, uncovered baking is best.

The most traditional way to stuff chicken breast is to cut a two to three-inch length-wise slit into the thickest part of the breast to create a side pocket that will hug the stuffing mixture. Using toothpicks to seal the pocket helps to keep the filling in, but it's not a must if you don't have any on hand.

Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook. The simplest way to do this is with a dry brine — unwrap the chicken breasts, salt them on both sides and let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

Pan-fried chicken breast recipe

Take off the cling film and season well. 2. Heat the oil in a frying pan then add the chicken breasts (skin-side down, if they have skin) and cook for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Then turn over, cover and cook on the other side for 7-8 minutes or until cooked through.

Brining is especially great for frying chicken. It gives you crispier skin while keeping the meat juicy on the inside. Make your brine by dissolving salt and sugar in water before adding the chicken. Make sure to use lukewarm water.

Wet Eggs → Dry Breadcrumbs

So now you've got a nice floury coating on the chicken: Time to dip it in eggs. Eggs are sticky, and when they mingle with the flour, they make a gluey paste for the breadcrumbs to stick to. If you're looking to create a nice, thick coating on the chicken, this is the way to go.

Some recipes call for dipping the chicken in egg before coating with flour while others call for milk (or butter milk). Egg provides a lot more protein and will produce a thicker, more stable crust. Milk is obviously much thinner, contains much more water, and won't cling to the meat as much.

Why do you coat chicken in an egg before frying? ›

It's lighter and crisp in a way that brings to mind a cornmeal crust. Using egg whites to adhere the coating to the chicken ensures that the crust stays put, even if your chicken sticks to the bottom of the frying pan.

Check the internal temperature of the whole chicken or turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Harmful bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F possibly resulting in foodborne illness.

Furthermore, pounding a breast to be more even will thin it out some, which will create a larger surface area exposed to heat. Put simply, it will cook faster. On top of that, by pounding the chicken before you cook it, you are tenderizing the meat some, which will also help it to cook faster.

A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the stuffing reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. If the stuffing is inside whole poultry, take the poultry out of the oven and let it stand 20 minutes before removing the stuffing. Refrigerate cooked poultry and stuffing within 2 hours.

It's a basic technique—simply use your spoon or spatula to pick up hot oil or butter from the pan, then pour it over the meat as it cooks. This helps distribute the fat and juices, keeps moisture intact as the meat cooks, enhances flavor, and results in a more even cook.