This Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breast is an elegant yet simple dinner that looks like it came from a fine dining restaurant. With a golden-seared exterior and a pocket of creamy, savory-sweet ricotta filling, this dish transforms ordinary chicken breasts into something truly special.
It creates a juicy, flavorful meal where the richness of the cheese is perfectly balanced by aromatic sage, rosemary, and a touch of honey.
Recipe Details
- Flavor: The filling is the star here, offering a creamy, mild cheesy base infused with the earthiness of fried garlic, piney rosemary, and warm sage. A hint of honey rounds out the savory notes.
- Texture: You get a wonderful contrast between the pan-seared outer crust of the chicken and the soft, melting ricotta center.
- Time: This recipe involves a quick sauté of garlic, assembly, and then a two-step cooking process (searing then baking) totaling about 45 minutes.
- Difficulty: Intermediate. The most delicate part is cutting the pocket and searing the chicken without losing the filling, but the steps are very straightforward.
What You’ll Need
To make this dish, you will need fresh chicken breasts and a handful of filling ingredients. The key to the flavor profile is the fresh herbs and the quick step of frying the garlic before adding it to the cheese, which removes the raw bite and sweetens the garlic flavor.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Try to select breasts that are plump and relatively even in size so they are easier to slice and cook at the same rate.
- Ricotta Cheese – This provides the creamy base for the stuffing. Full-fat ricotta is generally recommended for the best texture and flavor.
- Garlic – You will mince or finely dice fresh garlic cloves and gently fry them. This step is crucial for mellowing the garlic flavor before it goes inside the chicken.
- Herbs – Fresh sage and rosemary leaves bring a fragrant, earthy aroma that pairs classicly with poultry.
- Honey – A small amount of honey adds a subtle sweetness that highlights the herbs and contrasts with the salty cheese.
- Olive Oil – Used for both frying the garlic and searing the chicken.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Spinach – You can mix a small handful of chopped fresh spinach or thawed, squeezed-dry frozen spinach into the ricotta mixture for extra color and nutrients.
- Lemon Zest – If you want a brighter flavor profile, grate a little lemon zest into the cheese mixture.
- Dried Herbs – If you cannot find fresh herbs, you can substitute with dried sage and rosemary, but use about 1/3 of the amount since dried herbs are more potent.
How to Make Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 390°F / 200°C and line a tray with parchment paper.
- Sauté the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and gently fry the diced garlic cloves for 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Remove the garlic from the skillet and place it in a large bowl, reserving the skillet for later.
- Make the filling. Add the ricotta cheese, diced sage leaves, diced rosemary leaves, and honey to the bowl with the cooked garlic. Stir well to combine everything into a smooth paste.
- Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season the outside with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Cut the pockets. Use a sharp knife to make a deep pocket in the thickest part of the chicken breasts.
- Pro Tip: Be careful not to cut through to the other side of the chicken. You want to create a pouch, not a flap. If you cut all the way through, the cheese will leak out during cooking.
- Stuff the chicken. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the pockets of the chicken breasts. If the chicken breasts are smaller in size, you may not need all of the ricotta cheese. Do not overstuff, or it will be difficult to handle.
- Sear. If your skillet seems dry after the garlic, add a touch more oil. Place the stuffed chicken breasts on the skillet and cook at a medium heat for 5 minutes to brown the bottom.
- Flip. Carefully flip the chicken and cook for a further 5 minutes on the other side.
- Bake. Transfer the chicken breasts to the prepared baking tray (or keep them in the skillet if it is oven-safe) and bake for 20-25 minutes. The chicken is done when it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F at its deepest point (avoiding the cheese filling with the thermometer if possible).
Recipe Tips
- Securing the opening. If you are worried about the filling spilling out, you can secure the opening of the pocket with a few toothpicks before searing. Just remember to remove them before serving.
- Don’t skip drying the chicken. Patting the chicken dry ensures you get a nice golden sear in the skillet. Wet chicken will steam instead of brown.
- Resting meat. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes after taking it out of the oven. This helps the juices redistribute so the meat stays moist when you slice it.
FAQs
- Can I use chicken thighs? It is difficult to cut a proper pocket into chicken thighs. Chicken breasts are best for this specific stuffing method.
- What if I don’t have an oven-safe skillet? Simply transfer the seared chicken carefully to the baking tray lined with parchment paper as instructed in the recipe.
- My cheese leaked out, what happened? This usually happens if the pocket was cut too shallow, cut all the way through, or if the chicken was overstuffed. Using toothpicks can help keep everything inside.
Serving Suggestions
This rich main course pairs beautifully with lighter sides:
- Roasted Vegetables: Asparagus, broccoli, or carrots roasted in the oven while the chicken bakes.
- Potatoes: Mashed potatoes or roasted baby potatoes to soak up any juices.
- Salad: A fresh green salad with a vinaigrette to cut through the richness of the ricotta.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep the filling: You can mix the ricotta, garlic, herbs, and honey a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Stuffing: You can stuff the chicken breasts a few hours before cooking, keeping them covered in the refrigerator. However, for food safety, it is best to cook them the same day you stuff them.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers gently in the oven or microwave, though the skin may lose its crispness.
Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
This Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breast is an elegant, yet easy, weeknight dinner featuring two plump chicken breasts filled with a creamy, savory-sweet ricotta stuffing. The filling is infused with mellow fried garlic, earthy rosemary, and fragrant sage, balanced with a hint of honey. Seared to a golden-brown crisp and baked to perfection, this chicken is incredibly juicy with a rich, melted center.
Ingredients
Ricotta Stuffing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or finely diced
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon sage leaves, diced
- 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, diced
- 1 teaspoon honey
Chicken
- 2 skinless chicken breasts
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
- Additional olive oil for searing (if needed)
Instructions
Step 1: Prep and Sauté Garlic
Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Gently fry the diced garlic for 2 minutes, being careful not to let it burn. Remove the cooked garlic from the skillet and place it in a large bowl, reserving the skillet for later use.
Step 2: Make the Filling
To the bowl with the cooked garlic, add the ricotta cheese, diced sage leaves, diced rosemary leaves, and honey. Stir all the ingredients well until they are thoroughly combined into a smooth, savory paste.
Step 3: Prep and Stuff Chicken
Pat the chicken breasts dry completely with paper towels and season the outside lightly with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut a deep pocket into the thickest part of each chicken breast, ensuring you do not cut all the way through to the other side.
Step 4: Fill the Pockets
Spoon the ricotta mixture into the pockets of the chicken breasts. If the chicken breasts are small, you may not need all the filling. Avoid overstuffing to prevent the cheese from spilling out. If concerned, secure the opening with toothpicks.
Step 5: Sear the Chicken
Place the stuffed chicken breasts back into the reserved skillet (add a touch more oil if it seems dry). Cook the chicken over medium heat for 5 minutes to brown the bottom side.
Step 6: Flip and Finish Searing
Carefully flip the chicken breasts and cook for a further 5 minutes on the other side until nicely golden brown on both sides.
Step 7: Bake
Transfer the chicken breasts to the prepared baking tray (or keep them in the oven-safe skillet). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) at its deepest point (avoiding the cheese filling with the thermometer).
Step 8: Rest and Serve
Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Preventing Leaks: If the ricotta filling is too runny, you can mix in a small amount (about 1 teaspoon) of Parmesan cheese to help bind it. If you cut the pocket too deeply or overstuff the chicken, secure the opening with a couple of toothpicks before searing.
Flavor Boost: For an extra layer of flavor and color, mix 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh spinach (squeezed dry if frozen) into the ricotta filling before stuffing the chicken.
Resting is Key: Allow the finished chicken to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into it. This step allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a much juicier and more tender final product.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-Seared and Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 60g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
Keywords: stuffed chicken breast, ricotta filling, herbed chicken, simple gourmet dinner, baked chicken recipe, chicken with sage and rosemary
