Description
Chicken asparagus stuffed melty mozzarella brings together tender chicken breasts loaded with fresh asparagus and gooey mozzarella that melts right into every bite. Your dinner table gets a restaurant-quality dish that tastes fancy but comes together easily in your own kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Cheese:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese
Vegetables:
- 12 asparagus stalks, trimmed
Cooking and Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400°F so it’s ready when you need it.
- Lay each of your 4 chicken breasts flat on a cutting board and carefully cut three-quarters of the way through to form a pocket for stuffing.
- Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, paprika, dried thyme, and oregano across your chicken, then add 1/2 teaspoon salt to season all sides evenly.
- Tuck 1 slice of mozzarella cheese and 3 asparagus stalks into each chicken pocket, then secure the opening with toothpicks so nothing falls out during cooking.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a cast iron skillet and place it over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.
- Once your oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet and sear each side for 4 to 5 minutes until the exterior turns golden brown.
- Transfer your entire skillet directly into the preheated 400°F oven and bake for 15 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F at its thickest point.
- Pull the skillet from the oven and carefully remove all toothpicks from your chicken.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each piece if that sounds good to your taste.
Notes
- Pound your chicken breasts to an even thickness before butterflying them, so they cook uniformly and the filling distributes evenly throughout.
- Pat the chicken completely dry before searing in the skillet, as this helps create a golden crust instead of steaming the meat.
- Don’t skip the stovetop sear step – browning the chicken first adds flavor and helps seal in the juices before finishing in the oven.
- For a lighter version, use part-skim mozzarella or swap in ricotta mixed with fresh herbs, and the asparagus keeps the dish naturally low-carb if that matters to your diet.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg