Pesto Stuffed Chicken (with Cream Cheese)

Pesto Stuffed Chicken is a weeknight favorite. Super easy to make, finishes in the oven for some hands-off cooking! Creamy and delicious, everyone will love this dinner!

This stuffed chicken breast recipe is one of my all-time favorite chicken dinners. Anything breaded absolutely gets my vote!

If I hustle, I can get this on the table in under 30 minutes. It is a lifesaver when I want something super tasty and yummy and don’t have a lot of time.

The bread crumb coating is literally just egg and breadcrumbs but you can fancy it up if you really want to. Check out the notes section for my suggestions.

Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!

Why you’ll love this

• Family Friendly. It’s cheese stuffed chicken, how can they say no?
• Easy to make. It only looks complicated, but it’s really not. I photographed the steps, so you can see below.
• No huge ingredient list. Simple stuff, that you probably already have. 7 ingredients!
• Adaptable. See the notes for how to change it up!

What to Serve with Stuffed Chicken

I serve this with basic side dishes, sometimes plain rice, buttered pasta, mashed potatoes or risotto as well as some kind of green vegetable.

Green beans, brussels sprouts, and roasted broccoli are all fair game here! I’ve listed a few below, but feel free to mix it up and make whatever you love!

If you love breaded recipes, you have to try my Pork Schnitzel recipe. It’s kind of epic.

• Chicken. Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You’ll cut a pocket into them for the filling, so thicker pieces work best. Make sure the thickest part hits 165°F (74°C) when cooked.
• Cream cheese. This makes the filling creamy and rich. It’s much easier to mix and spread if it’s softened first.
• Basil pesto. Brings all the flavor here. Use your favorite jarred pesto or homemade if you have it. Add a little extra if you really love that pesto flavor.
• Salt and pepper. Simple seasoning, but important. Season both the filling and the chicken so everything tastes good all the way through.
• Egg. Helps the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken for that crispy coating. Just beat it lightly before using.
• Breadcrumbs. Give you that golden, crispy outside. Panko works great if you want extra crunch, but regular breadcrumbs are totally fine too.
• Olive oil. Used to brown the chicken before baking and helps get that nice golden crust.

How to make this recipe

Step 1: Make the filling, stuff the chicken. Combine cream cheese, basil pesto and pepper in a small bowl with a fork. Create a pocket in the chicken: Cut along the thin side, lengthways, without going all the way through. Add the pesto/cream cheese mixture to each chicken breast. Depending on how crazy you get with the filling, you can press the edges together to seal, or use toothpicks. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Bread the chicken. Beat egg with a fork in a bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. Dip each chicken breast in the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs.

Step 3: Cooking the chicken. Heat oil (cooking oil or olive oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken on both sides, until lightly browned (no longer pink). Add the chicken to the baking sheet, and bake until the thickest part of the chicken breast reads 165F. About 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken. Remove from oven, and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving. Devour.

How to cook in an air fryer

Spray lightly with oil, then cook in the air fryer 350°F 20-22 minutes.

More recipes to love

• Creamy Garlic Parmesan Risotto. A basic, but fabulous risotto that is super easy to make.
• Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Roasted Brussels sprouts, paired with delicate shallots, salty bacon and a bit of parmesan.
• Easy Scalloped Potatoes. There’s a video on this one, showing how EASY this is to make!
• ALL SIDES

Other recipes you’ll enjoy that use Pesto:

• Turkey Meatball Recipe (with Pesto)
• Marinated Vegetable Kabobs with Pesto Yogurt Sauce.
• Chicken Pesto Pasta

5 from 2 votes

Pesto Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Author Kylee Ayotte

Servings 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

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Pesto Stuffed Chicken is a weeknight winner. Super easy to make, finishes in the oven for some hands-off cooking! Creamy and delicious, everyone will love this!

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 ounces softened cream cheese
• ▢ 2 tablespoons basil pesto
• ▢ salt and pepper
• ▢ 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 2/3 cup breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Prepare a baking sheet – either add foil, or grease well with cooking spray (alternatively you can use a rack)

Filling

• Combine2 ounces softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons basil pesto and salt and pepper in a small bowl with a fork.
• Make a pocket in the 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts: Cut along the thin side, lengthways, without going all the way through.
• Add the pesto/cream cheese mixture to each chicken breast. Depending on how crazy you get with the filling, you can press the edges together to seal, or use toothpicks.  
• Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper.

Breading

• Beat 1 egg with a fork in a bowl. Place 2/3 cup breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. 
• Dip each chicken breast in the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs.

Cooking

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Cook the chicken on both sides, until lightly browned.
• Add the chicken to the baking sheet, and bake until the thickest part of the chicken breast reads 165℉. About 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken.
• Remove from oven, and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
• Devour.

Notes

If you stuff a LOT of filling in, you may need to use toothpicks to hold your chicken together. Just remember to remove them before you eat!

Airfryer

Cook at 350°F for 20-22 minutes

Chicken Temperature

Chicken should be cooked to 165°F when tested with a digital thermometer in the thickest part.

Storage

If you happen to have leftovers (lucky you!), the store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3 days. This is not a good recipe to freeze!

Additions/Substitutions/Suggestions

Panko breadcrumbs are awesome in this recipe!

Add some Italian seasoning or garlic powder when seasoning the chicken, for a kick of extra flavor.

Add some parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs.

Add a little mozzarella cheese to the filling. Ooey. Gooey. Yummy!

If you love pesto, add an extra tablespoon of pesto to the filling.

⭐️ Don’t Forget! I love to hear how this turned out for you! Share your thoughts by leaving a review and rating below.

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Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 487mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 210IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Did you make this recipe?

Make sure to follow @kyleecooks on Instagram for more and tag me #kyleecooks so I can see!

Update: This was originally posted in March 2011, it was republished in August 2020 with new photos.

About Kylee Ayotte

I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee