Green Chile Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

Cheese stuffed chicken breast with hatch green chiles, sharp cheddar cheese and cream cheese is so flavorful with such few ingredients! It's on of my favorite chicken dinners for two!

Why these Stuffed Chicken Breasts work

When it comes to a weekly chicken dinner, nothing spices it up more than some roasted Hatch green chiles.  And nothing cools down some green chiles better than Philadelphia Cream Cheese.  The two combined make a wonderful and very exciting chicken dish.  I used green chiles labeled 'spicy' because it makes these cheese stuffed chicken breasts taste like a big jalapeño popper, but if spicy food isn't your thing, use mild chiles.  And pair this chicken breast with rice cooked with even more chiles and cilantro or a light salad.

And while you have the chiles in your pantry, you can also make green chile chicken stew or my turmeric macaroni and cheese with a ½ cup of green chiles stirred in.  

Green Chile Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast ingredients

1. 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2. half of an 8-ounce package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
3. ½ cup diced fire-roasted green chiles (or 1 4.5-ounce can, drained)
4. one-half cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
5. salt
6. freshly ground black pepper
7. ground chipotle powder, optional
8. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

How to make Stuffed Chicken Breast

• Prep - Preheat the oven to 425. If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, line a small baking dish with parchment paper.  First, using a small sharp knife, cut a pocket in each chicken breast. Aim about one-third of the way from the top of the breast, and cut horizontally, being careful not to cut all the way through. Repeat with the other chicken breast.
• Combine - In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, chiles, and cheddar. Stir very well to break up the cream cheese. Add a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper and stir again.  Divide the cream cheese mixture in half, and stuff each into the pocket you cut in the chicken. You can use a toothpick to pin the chicken closed, but it doesn’t matter too much.  Sprinkle the top of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and chipotle powder (if using).
• Cook - In a small non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Place the chicken top-side down, and sear for 4-5 minutes, until a golden-brown crust forms. While it cooks, season the bottom of the chicken breasts in the pan with salt, pepper, and chipotle powder.  Flip the chicken and cook on the other side for 4-5 minutes.
• Bake - Move the skillet to the oven (if your skillet isn’t oven-safe, gently move the chicken breasts to the oven dish). Bake for 10 minutes, and test the temperature with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken—it should register 165-degrees F. If not, return to the oven for 3-5 minutes more, and test again.
• Cool - Let the chicken cool in the skillet (or pan) for 5 minutes—this helps the filling somewhat solidify and makes it easier to serve. If the filling melted out of the chicken breast, push it back into place, and serve.

Stuffed Chicken Breast FAQs

How to keep stuffed chicken breast closed without toothpicks?

If you do not wish to use toothpicks for stuffing chicken, the best thing to do is be mindful of how you cut the slit in the chicken. Begin making the slit slightly higher than vertical and angle your knife down. This way, the filling will naturally fall back into the chicken. Please note that cheese does melt, and some of the filling will melt out. Just scoop it back on top and serve.

What's the best way to stuff chicken breast?

If your chicken breast is on its side, instead of cutting directly in the center, try cutting it slightly higher than the mid-point. As you cut and work your way into the meet, angle the knife down, towards the bottom of the breast. This will give the filling a secure place to sit.

How do you keep chicken breast moist when baking?

This recipe is designed to be seared on the stove first before oven baking, which locks in moisture. This keeps the chicken moist yet cooked all the way through.