Two Ways to Stuff Chicken Breast
Chicken breast doesn’t have much personality, but it’s a very tasty protein. Whichever flavor profile you choose, you can rely on chicken breast to provide the perfect protein canvas without being distracted from or clashing with bolder, more pronounced flavors. Structurally, they lend themselves very well to filling, making them ideal for just about any filling you can dream of.
Part of the Skillet The Grown-Up Kitchen series , designed to answer your most basic cooking questions and fill in any gaps that may be missing from your home chef education.
I’m always a big fan of one food that gets put in another, and while stuffed chicken breasts may seem a bit 1994, adding cheese, vegetables, and herbs to one makes dinner a little more interesting and delicious. You also don’t really need a prescription; once you master the technique, the only limitation will be what is in your kitchen (and in your heart).
There are two ways to stuff the breast, and there are many more ways to make them. We’ll start with what I call “slice and stuff.” To complete this maneuver, you will need:
- Chicken breast
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- 2 tablespoons minced meat
- Kitchen twine
Place the breast on a cutting board and cut about one inch into the thickest part of the breast, going into the meat about 3/4 of an inch. Then use your fingers to separate the meat, making a pocket. Be careful not to let the pocket get so large that you can rip it through.
Minced meat can be anything: a mixture of soft cheese and vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto (sticking with the 90s theme), or even leftover fried rice mixed with leftover peanut sauce (that’s what I used.) Just stick it in there and then tie your little meat roll.
From there, you can either perfume the chicken at 150 for 45 minutes, then fry it in a skillet, or bake it at 375 ℉ for half an hour. Due to the lopsided nature of chicken breasts, I prefer sous vide. If you’ve pan-fried the chicken, make a quick sauce using the toasted chunks .
Another filling method I use is pound and roll, which cooks a little more evenly – good news if you’re planning on baking a dinner-winning chicken. To complete this move you will need:
- Chicken breast
- Gallon Freezer Bag
- Something heavy to slaughter your meat
- A couple of tablespoons of minced meat
- Kitchen twine
Place the breast in a freezer bag and hit with a heavy object, starting at the thickest part, until everything is roughly uniform in thickness. Place the filling in the center of the chicken; in this case I used some cream cheese mixed with garlic spinach, crispy mushrooms and bacon.
Trim off any frayed chicken pieces – this will happen if you push it too enthusiastically – and wrap the flattened meat around the filling. Secure your small package with a couple of pieces of twine and either sous vide or bake as described above, seam side down.
If you need a more specific direction in the topping department, try the Chicken Chicken , some cordon blue, or simply add your favorite pizza toppings to it. All are delicious when viewed as pizza.