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
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- half of an 8-ounce package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
- ½ cup diced fire-roasted green chiles (or 1 4.5-ounce can, drained)
- one-half cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ground chipotle powder, optional
- 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.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Engagement Chicken Pasta
Lemon Chicken Piccata for Two
Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Breasts for Two
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe for Two
Looking for even more chicken recipes? Check out all of my Chicken Recipes for Two.
Stuffed Chicken Breast with Green Chiles
Cheese stuffed chicken breast with cheddar, green chiles, and cream cheese. Serves two.
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ of an 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup diced fire-roasted green chiles (or 1 4.5-ounce can, drained)
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ground chipotle powder, optional
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- 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.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the Philadelphia 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).
- 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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 890Total Fat: 68gSaturated Fat: 39gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 288mgSodium: 1103mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 59g
Susanna says
What's not to love about stuffed chicken breasts! I mostly use fresh ricotta for my fillings (with any sort of veggies and, tomato sauce and cheese basically ) but cream cheese sounds a great choice too. I will try this one next time I have some checking breasts in sight for dinner. I bet the tangy flavour of cream cheese gives a nice touch.
I cannot get any of the types of chiles you have in hand, but I will try to get some Padron peppers which are slighly spicy in our area, I'm sure they will work out too :-)
I have to say agin... I LOVE your cream cheese ideas so much. Actually your engagement chicken pasta sauce has become a go-to in our home, specially with well....pasta, of course. I have also added it once to a bowl of leftover steamed rice and it turned out pretty good too, almost rissoto kinda side dish. Everyone liked it!
RossC says
Another excellent dinner for two.. Thank you... :O)
Lori says
I am SO excited about this recipe . . . I just roasted some Hatch chiles last weekend (so happy to find them in Minnesota!) Definitely going to make this next week!
sharon lee says
I made this last night for supper. Awesome and so easy. My husband loved it. Another great recipe for us empty-nesters!
Lori says
Made these last night for dinner. Amazing! So easy and yummy! Definitely a keeper!
Merideth says
SO GOOD! My husband requests it on a weekly basis. Mine DEFINITELY were not as attractive as yours though.... lol
Christina Lane says
Yay! So glad you two like it. Does the cheese melt everywhere? After baking, push it back in :)
Shelly says
I want to try this recipe tonight... Thinking aboit adding pieces of bacon to the filling. Any thoughts?
Christina Lane says
That sounds DELICIOUS!
Kayla Hill says
Made this recipe with cream cheese and caramelized onions and cooked it in my air fryer. It came out so good thanks for the idea
Christina Lane says
Oh I'm so glad to know the air fryer is an option for this recipe! Thank you :) Glad you enjoyed it!
Jessica says
Did you cook it the same time and
temperature in the air fryer as the oven? I would love to try it in the air fryer
Misbah says
I Feel as the same the same as you , Chicken breast han get so plain sometimes. I uselly Stuff with vegetable, I have to try your recipe .
Stephanie Fruge says
The green chili cheese stuffed chicken breast looks divine. I’m looking forward to making it. I’m not a big cook and this looks like something I could handle! I’m looking forward to trying now many more of your recipes. I’ve never seen a recipe quite like this as chicken can be much the same and boring. Thank you so much.
Angela says
This was SO GOOD and so simple! I was able to throw it together with stuff I already had and it was so freaking easy. My husband loved it just as much as me. He called it a jalapeño popper in a chicken lol. So good. Thank you!