Baked Ricotta Chicken (Printable version)

Golden stuffed chicken breasts with ricotta, herbs and spinach filling

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Ricotta Filling

05 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
06 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped or 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1 clove garlic minced
10 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - ¼ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Topping

13 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
15 - ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning

# Directions:

01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken breasts in a single layer.
02 - In a bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, spinach, basil, garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until well combined.
03 - Pat chicken breasts dry. Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket in the side of each breast, being careful not to cut all the way through.
04 - Stuff each chicken breast with an equal amount of the ricotta mixture. Secure with toothpicks if needed.
05 - Brush the outside of each breast with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
06 - Place the stuffed breasts in the baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
07 - Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, top each breast with mozzarella cheese, and return to oven for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the cheese is golden and bubbly.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Remove toothpicks before plating.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The creamy ricotta filling keeps the chicken incredibly moist, unlike so many baked chicken recipes that turn into dry disappointment
  • You get that fancy restaurant presentation with about 15 minutes of actual hands-on time
  • The leftovers, if you somehow have any, make the most incredible cold chicken sandwiches the next day
02 -
  • The biggest mistake is overstuffing the pockets, which causes the ricotta to spill out during baking and creates a messy, less impressive presentation
  • Letting the chicken rest for those 5 minutes seems like torture when everyone's hovering, but cutting into it immediately will release all those precious juices
  • An instant-read thermometer is your best friend here, because undercooked chicken with cheese filling is nobody's idea of a good time
03 -
  • Chill your ricotta filling for 30 minutes before stuffing, as this makes it much easier to handle and less likely to ooze out during baking
  • Use kitchen twine instead of toothpicks if you have it, since it's easier to remove and won't leave anyone frantically searching for small wooden pieces

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