Italian Cheese Stuffed Chicken

This Italian Cheese Stuffed Chicken is the ideal easy tray bake dinner for a hungry family. Filled with Parma ham, stringy mozzarella, sweet tomatoes and fragrant basil, these are familiar flavors that pair perfectly together.

The combination of lean chicken breasts, parma ham and mozzarella makes this meal a great option for those who need more protein in their diet.

I’m thinking for a Sunday roast or a simple midweek dinner option served with Arugula, Tomato & Feta Salad for a spring or summer inspired meal, or Creamy Parmesan Cauliflower Mash and Low-carb Creamed Spinach for a more satisfying comfort food dish. Yum!

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Step-by-step

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C/ 355 °F (fan assisted), or 200 °C/ 400 °F (conventional). Heat 1 tablespoon of butter, ghee or olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and spinach and cook for about 1 minute until the spinach wilts. Drain the juices and place to one side.

   

2. To prepare the salad filling, mix the tomatoes with olive oil (1 tbsp), basil and balsamic vinegar.

   

3. Cut a pocket in each of the chicken breasts with a sharp knife. Flatten the chicken breasts slightly with a rolling pin.

   

4. Use another tablespoon of olive oil to grease a baking tray to prevent sticking (or line with greaseproof paper). Add the chicken pockets.

5. Add a slice of pancetta to each of the chicken breasts, cooked spinach and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle half the mozzarella. Close the chicken breasts and top with the remaining cheese.

   

6. Bake the stuffed chicken breasts in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes until cooked through, golden and to your liking.

   

7. Tastes best when served fresh but can be stored in fridge for up to 3 days.

   

Recipe

Italian Cheese Stuffed Chicken

★★★★★4.8 (10 ratings)

These Italian-style chicken breasts are a tasty low-carb dinner option for a hungry family. Filled with Parma ...

Hands on

10m

Overall

45m

Servings

4

4 g

Net carbs

65.8 g

Protein

25.8 g

Fat

528

kcal

1 serving2 servings3 servings4 servings5 servings6 servings7 servings8 servings9 servings10 servings11 servings12 servings16 servings

US + metricMetricUS

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Ingredients makes 4 servings

• 1 tbsp butter, ghee or olive oil (15 ml)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups fresh spinach (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
• ²/₃ cup cherry tomatoes, halved (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided (30 ml)
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• ¹/₂ cup fresh basil
• 4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless (900 g/ 2 lb)
• 4 slices of Parma ham (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
• 1 ¹/₂ cups grated mozzarella (170 g/ 6 oz)
• good pinch of sea salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C/ 355 °F (fan assisted), or 200 °C/ 400 °F (conventional). Heat 1 tablespoon of butter, ghee or olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and spinach and cook for about 1 minute until the spinach wilts. Drain the juices and place to one side.

2. To prepare the salad filling, mix the tomatoes with olive oil (1 tbsp), basil and balsamic vinegar.

3. Cut a pocket in each of the chicken breasts with a sharp knife. Flatten the chicken breasts slightly with a rolling pin.

4. Use another tablespoon of olive oil to grease a baking tray to prevent sticking (or line with greaseproof paper). Add the chicken pockets.

5. Add a slice of pancetta to each of the chicken breasts, cooked spinach and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle half the mozzarella. Close the chicken breasts and top with the remaining cheese.

6. Bake the stuffed chicken breasts in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes until cooked through, golden and to your liking.

7. Tastes best when served fresh but can be stored in fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition per serving, 1 chicken breast

Carbs 3%Protein 51%Fat 46% of calories

Net carbs

4 g

Total carbs

5.1 g

Fiber

1.1 g

Sugars

1.6 g

Protein

65.8 g

Fat

25.8 g

Saturated fat

9.4 g

Calories

528 kcal

Sodium

785 mg · 34.1% RDA

Magnesium

100 mg · 25% RDA

Potassium

1,073 mg · 53.7% EMR

Nutrition by ingredient

Per 1 chicken breast	Net carbs	Protein	Fat	kcal
Butter, unsalted, grass-fed	0 g	0 g	2.9 g	25
Garlic, fresh	0.5 g	0.1 g	0 g	2
Spinach, fresh	0.4 g	0.9 g	0.1 g	7
Tomatoes, cherry, fresh, all varieties	0.5 g	0.2 g	0.1 g	4
Olive oil, extra virgin	0 g	0 g	6.8 g	60
Balsamic vinegar, dark (excludes sweet, syrupy vinegar)	0.2 g	0 g	0 g	1
Basil, fresh	0 g	0.1 g	0 g	0
Chicken, breast (without skin, raw)	0 g	50.6 g	5.9 g	270
Prosciutto di Parma (Parma ham)	0 g	3.8 g	1.7 g	32
Mozzarella cheese (low moisture, for pizza)	2.4 g	10.1 g	8.4 g	125
Salt, sea salt	0 g	0 g	0 g	0
Pepper, black, spices	0.1 g	0 g	0 g	0
Total	4 g	65.8 g	25.8 g	528

Serving size 1 chicken breast

• Gluten free
• Egg free
• Nut free
• Pork free
• Avocado free
• Coconut free
• Fish free
• Shellfish free
• Beef free