Description
Tender chicken breasts are filled with a savory sauté of mushrooms, spinach, garlic and fresh thyme, topped with melty mozzarella, seared for color and finished in the oven — an easy, elegant weeknight main that reheats beautifully.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 220 g / 7 oz each)
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Mushroom filling
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 200 g (≈7 oz / about 2 cups) mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves (or dried, scaled down)
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach, wilted and well-drained
- 80 g (≈3 oz) mozzarella, sliced
For cooking
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or another neutral oil)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan). Pat the chicken dry, then cut a horizontal pocket into the thickest side of each breast — stop short of cutting all the way through so the outer layer stays intact. Season both the inside and outside with half the salt and pepper.
Tip: Aim for a pocket about 3–4 inches long so the filling sits snugly without spilling.
Melt the butter in a heavy, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer and cook until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme, season with the remaining salt and pepper, and cook another 1–2 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until it wilts, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture cool slightly so it’s easier to handle.
Spoon the mushroom-spinach mixture into each chicken pocket and top with mozzarella slices. Fold edges gently together and secure with toothpicks if needed — you don’t need a perfect seal; just enough to keep most of the filling inside.
Wipe the skillet if it’s very greasy, then heat the olive oil over medium-high. Sear each stuffed breast for roughly 1½ minutes per side until both sides develop a golden crust.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for about 15 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 65°C / 149°F (the temperature will rise slightly while resting). Check the meat, not the filling, for doneness.
Remove the pan from the oven and tent the chicken loosely with foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes to redistribute juices, then remove toothpicks and serve whole or sliced. Spoon any pan juices over the slices.
Notes
- Don’t overfill the pocket; too much filling can force the seam open during cooking.
- Dry the chicken before seasoning to help it brown nicely.
- If your skillet isn’t ovenproof, sear the chicken in the pan and transfer to a baking dish to finish in the oven.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a few days and reheat gently in the oven to preserve texture.