Boursin stuffed chicken breasts with a spinach and mozzarella filling, seared until deeply golden and finished in a hot oven. The filling is creamy and herby, the crust is crisp, and when you cut into it at the table, it looks like you really did something (you did, it just wasn’t that hard).
This is the kind of dinner that works on a Tuesday and impresses at a dinner party. One pan, about 30 minutes, and a result that genuinely looks restaurant-caliber.
If you love cooking with Boursin, this is right next to creamy Boursin chicken and Boursin cheese pasta in the rotation, but this one has the most dramatic payoff.
What Makes This One Worth Making
Most stuffed chicken recipes either skip the sear (which means a pale, underwhelming crust) or overcomplicate the filling. This one does neither.
The sear happens first, at high heat, for a full five minutes without moving the chicken. That’s what builds the golden crust. Then the pan goes straight into a hot oven to finish at 425°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The high temperature means a short finish time, which means the chicken stays juicy instead of drying out while you wait for the center to come up to temperature.
The filling is Boursin, low-moisture mozzarella, frozen spinach, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Frozen spinach is better here than fresh, so the filling stays thick and creamy instead of watery.
What You Need (and Why Each Piece Matters)
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: you want them on the larger side. Not thin-sliced cutlets, not tenderloins. You need enough thickness to cut a deep pocket.
- Boursin cheese: the 5oz garlic and herb wheel. This is the flavor backbone of the whole filling. Homemade Boursin cheese works too.
- Low-moisture shredded mozzarella: this is what makes the filling stretchy and gooey. Fresh mozzarella has too much water.
- Frozen spinach: thawed and squeezed completely dry. Any moisture left in the spinach will make the filling loose.
- Italian seasoning and garlic powder: straightforward, but they matter. The Boursin already has herbs; these amplify it.
- Toothpicks: to close the pocket so the filling doesn’t pour out during the sear. I cut wooden kebab sticks once when I ran out of toothpicks.
How to Cut the Pocket: Pita Pocket, Not Butterflied
This step looks intimidating and isn’t. The only rule: think pita pocket, not butterfly.
You’re cutting into the thick side of the breast, starting in the center, and going about three-quarters of the way through. Leave roughly 3/4 inch of chicken on both ends so the pocket has walls. You are not cutting the breast open flat. You are not butterflying it. You’re making a pouch.
Go slowly. Use a sharp knife. If you accidentally cut through to the other side on one end, it’s not a disaster, that’s what toothpicks are for!
How to Make Boursin Stuffed Chicken Breast
Step 1. Make the filling: Squeeze every bit of moisture out of the thawed spinach with a paper towel. Mix with the mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and Boursin until combined. It should be thick, not loose.
Step 2. Cut the pockets: Using a sharp knife, cut into the thick side of each breast, almost all the way through, leaving about 3/4 inch on each end. Pita pocket, not butterfly.
Step 3. Stuff and seal: Spoon the filling evenly into each pocket without overfilling. Push two toothpicks through both sides to close the seam. Season the outside with salt and pepper.
Step 4. Sear: Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the chicken top-side down and cook for five minutes without moving it. Flip and sear the second side for two to three minutes. You want deeply golden color on both sides.
Step 5. Finish in the oven: Transfer the pan to a 425°F oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rest five minutes. Remove the toothpicks before plating.
What to Serve With It
These finish in the oven at 425°F for about 10 to 12 minutes. The easiest thing you can do is get a side dish on a sheet pan before the chicken goes in and let them finish together.
Roasted Green Beans or green beans: toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, roast at 425°F for 12 to 15 minutes. Done before the chicken finishes.
Boursin Mashed Potatoes: if you want something more substantial. Start these on the stovetop while the chicken sears.
If you’re hosting and someone asks what to bring, tell them a salad, appetizer, or a bottle of wine.
Make It Ahead
This is one of the best recipes to prep ahead for a dinner party. Stuff the chicken, seal with toothpicks, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to cook, sear and bake as directed. Add two to three minutes to the oven time since the chicken is going in cold.
More Boursin Recipes
- Boursin Chicken Recipe
- Boursin Cheese Pasta
- Creamy Boursin Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Homemade Boursin cheese
Boursin Stuffed Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup frozen spinach thawed
- 1 cup low-moisture shredded mozzarella
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 (5oz) wheel garlic herb Boursin cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prep the chicken: Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of parchment paper and gently pound the centers to a more even thickness. You don't want to pound them thin, just enough to help them cook evenly and give you more surface area for stuffing. Pat completely dry with paper towels.1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Cut the pockets: Place each chicken breast flat on a cutting board. Starting at the center of the thick side, cut a pocket almost all the way through, leaving about 3/4 inch on each end. Think pita pocket, not butterfly, you're making a pouch, not opening the breast flat.
- Make the filling: Squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the thawed spinach with a paper towel. Add it to a medium bowl with the mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and Boursin. Mix until combined. The filling should be thick and hold its shape.1/4 cup frozen spinach, 1 cup low-moisture shredded mozzarella, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 (5oz) wheel garlic herb Boursin cheese
- Stuff and seal: Spoon the filling evenly into each pocket. Don't overfill. Push two toothpicks through both sides of the opening to close the seam. Season the outside generously with salt and pepper.1 teaspoon kosher salt, Black pepper to taste
- Sear the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the chicken top-side down and cook for five minutes without moving it, until deeply golden brown. Flip with tongs and sear the second side for two to three minutes.1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Finish in the oven: Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rest for five minutes before serving. Remove toothpicks before plating.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Made the filling and it turned out creamy with a crisp crust.
Glad you enjoyed it!