Hasselback Chicken with Spinach and Mozzarella (Print Version)

Tender chicken breasts with thin slices stuffed with mozzarella, spinach, and sundried tomatoes, baked until golden and bubbly.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Filling

02 - 3.5 oz baby spinach, washed
03 - 3.5 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
04 - 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Seasonings

06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
08 - 1/2 tsp paprika
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 390°F.
02 - Using a sharp knife, make deep cuts about 0.4 inches apart across each chicken breast, being careful not to cut all the way through.
03 - Combine mozzarella cheese, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and minced garlic in a mixing bowl.
04 - Gently stuff the filling into each cut of the chicken breasts.
05 - Place stuffed breasts in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper.
06 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and filling is golden and bubbly.
07 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The presentation makes you look like you spent hours, but the hands-on time is surprisingly quick
  • Each bite delivers a perfect ratio of tender chicken, melty cheese, and tangy tomatoes
  • Its the kind of dish that turns a regular Tuesday dinner into something worth remembering
02 -
  • If your chicken breasts are very thick, consider pounding them slightly first for more even cooking
  • Overfilling the cuts might cause the cheese to spill out too much—press firmly but don't force it
  • The resting time is not optional. Cutting too soon lets all those juices run onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat
03 -
  • Chill your chicken in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing—it firms up the meat and makes those thin cuts much easier
  • If some filling falls out during baking, just press it back on top during the resting period
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet to catch any cheese that melts out, making cleanup much easier

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