These mozzarella stuffed hen breasts mix juicy, tender hen with creamy mozzarella and recent pesto for a flavorful and satisfying meal. Easy to organize, but stuffed with daring flavors, it is certain to turn into a favourite!
These mozzarella-stuffed hen breasts are the proper stability of particular and simple, making them an incredible possibility for a weeknight dinner with a contact of class. They’re tender, juicy, and filled with taste due to the mix of mozzarella, pesto, and recent basil. The roasted cherry tomatoes add a tangy, candy ingredient, doubling as a built-in aspect dish, which implies much less give you the results you want within the kitchen!
Very like this Caprese hen skillet or hen pesto flatbread, this recipe brings collectively daring Mediterranean flavors that elevate easy components into one thing extraordinary.
What We Suppose You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredient Overview
You’ll want to try the complete recipe and ingredient checklist under
This recipe makes use of easy, recent components that come collectively to create a flavorful, satisfying dish. Right here’s a better have a look at what makes every ingredient shine, together with some concepts for substitutions:
- Boneless, Skinless Hen Breasts. The bottom of this recipe, hen breasts present a lean, protein-packed basis. You may also substitute boneless, skinless hen thighs for a juicier possibility in the event you want darker meat. They’re smaller, in order that they gained’t maintain as a lot filling, however nonetheless scrumptious nonetheless!
- Pesto Sauce. The daring flavors of basil, garlic, Parmesan, and olive oil within the pesto sauce infuse the hen with punch of taste. When you’re on the lookout for a twist, attempt utilizing sun-dried tomato pesto for a tangier taste, or swap the pesto totally for garlic herb butter.
- Mozzarella Cheese. Smooth, creamy mozzarella creates a gooey heart that completely enhances the pesto and hen. When you can’t discover mozzarella or don’t need to use it, provolone or fontina are wonderful substitutes as a result of they soften nicely. For one thing with slightly extra kick, pepper jack cheese works nicely too.
- Recent Basil. Including chopped basil contained in the hen alongside the pesto enhances the flavour. If basil isn’t accessible, spinach could make a very good different, including further greens. You may also substitute recent oregano or parsley for a barely totally different natural profile.
- Cherry Tomatoes. Roasting cherry tomatoes with the hen provides a candy, tangy distinction to the richness of the cheese and pesto. When you don’t have cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes or halved Roma tomatoes work simply as nicely. For a smoky-sweet taste, roasted crimson bell peppers are an incredible different.
- Olive Oil. A bit olive oil helps sear the hen breasts to a golden-brown exterior earlier than baking. When you’re out of olive oil, avocado or grapeseed oil are each nice high-heat alternate options that may nonetheless offer you that crisp sear.
- Salt and Pepper. These important seasonings carry out the pure flavors of the hen, pesto, and tomatoes. If you wish to enhance the flavour additional, you possibly can add a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika together with the salt and pepper.
Ideas for Success
That will help you get the very best outcomes each time, listed here are a couple of cooking suggestions:
- Keep away from Overstuffing the Hen. Whereas it might be tempting to load up the hen with a number of mozzarella and pesto, overstuffing may cause the filling to leak out throughout cooking. A great rule of thumb is to go away sufficient room for the hen to completely shut after stuffing, and safe the perimeters with toothpicks if wanted. About 1-2 slices of mozzarella per hen breast must be sufficient for that gooey heart with out the mess.
- Verify for Doneness With out Chopping Into the Hen. As a substitute of slicing into the hen to test if it’s achieved, which may launch juices and dry it out, use an on the spot learn thermometer (affiliate hyperlink). The hen is prepared when the inner temperature reaches 165 F (74 C) within the thickest a part of the breast. This technique ensures the hen shall be absolutely cooked whereas staying juicy.
- Getting a Good Sear. To realize that stunning golden-brown crust, make certain your pan and oil are scorching earlier than including the hen. Sear the hen breasts over medium-high warmth for 2-3 minutes on all sides with out shifting them an excessive amount of. This can assist the crust develop. A forged iron skillet works particularly nicely for this because it retains warmth evenly.
Serving Solutions
This flavorful stuffed hen pairs fantastically with a wide range of sides, making it versatile for any meal. Listed here are a couple of concepts to spherical out your plate:
- Garlic Rosemary Potatoes. The crispy, herby potatoes complement the wealthy, tacky hen completely, including a comforting and hearty aspect dish.
- Parmesan Butter Noodles. A easy however indulgent pasta dish that soaks up the pesto and juices from the hen, making every chunk further scrumptious.
- Garlic Butter Mushrooms. These earthy, buttery mushrooms are the proper match for the juicy hen and roasted tomatoes.
- Mild Inexperienced Salad. For one thing lighter, serve with a recent, crisp inexperienced salad dressed with lemon French dressing to stability out the richness of the cheese and pesto.
- Roasted Greens. Roasted asparagus, zucchini, or carrots carry coloration and taste to the plate, whereas holding the meal wholesome and well-rounded.
- Stuffed Pita Wraps. For a enjoyable and recent take, attempt slicing the stuffed hen and serving it in heat pita bread with hummus, uncooked bell peppers, carrots, and cucumber. This provides a Mediterranean twist and makes for a scrumptious sandwich-style meal. My husband loves it this fashion!
Storage and Reheating
You probably have leftovers or need to put together this dish upfront, listed here are the very best methods to retailer and reheat it:
- Fridge. Enable the hen to chill fully earlier than storing it in an hermetic container. It may be saved within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days.
- Freezer. For longer storage, wrap every stuffed hen breast individually in plastic wrap or foil, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll hold nicely within the freezer for as much as 3 months. To reheat, thaw the hen within the fridge in a single day.
- Reheating:
- Oven. Reheat at 350 F (177 C) for 15-20 minutes, lined with foil.
- Microwave. Warmth in 1-minute intervals on medium energy, checking after every minute to keep away from overheating.
Associated Recipes
When you liked this mozzarella stuffed hen, you’ll want to try a few of these different flavorful and easy-to-make recipes:
- Caprese Hen Skillet. This dish combines juicy hen breasts with recent mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, multi function pan for a straightforward meal.
- Pesto Hen Pasta. A fast and satisfying pasta dish that includes tender hen, recent pesto, and Parmesan cheese, excellent for busy weeknights.
- Hen Pesto Flatbread. A scrumptious flatbread topped with pesto, mozzarella, and hen that’s excellent for a fast lunch or informal dinner.
- 4 boneless, skinless hen breasts 6-8 ounces every. Observe 1.
- Salt and pepper to style
- ¼ cup pesto sauce about 1 tablespoon per hen breast. Observe 2.
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese sliced into 4 slices
- ¼ cup recent basil leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
-
Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C).
-
On a slicing board, use a pointy knife to chop a horizontal slit alongside one aspect of every hen breast to create a pocket. Watch out to not minimize during.
4 boneless, skinless hen breasts
-
Season each the within and outdoors of every hen breast with salt and pepper. Unfold about 1 tablespoon of pesto inside every pocket. Then stuff every breast pocket with 1 slice of mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoon of chopped basil. If wanted, safe the opening with toothpicks to forestall the filling from spilling out. Observe 3.
Salt and pepper, ¼ cup pesto sauce, 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup recent basil leaves
-
Warmth the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high warmth. Sear the stuffed hen breasts for 2-3 minutes on all sides till they develop a golden-brown crust. Observe 4.
2 tablespoons olive oil
-
Add the halved cherry tomatoes across the hen within the skillet. Switch the skillet to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or till the hen is absolutely cooked to an inside temperature of 165 F (74 C) and the cheese is melted.
1 cup cherry tomatoes
-
Take away from the oven and let the hen relaxation for five minutes. Discard toothpicks if used, and serve scorching with the roasted cherry tomatoes.
- To advertise even cooking, attempt to choose hen breasts of comparable dimension and thickness.
- When you don’t have home made pesto, store-bought works nice, however search for one made with high-quality olive oil and recent components.
- Recent mozzarella melts fantastically, however be certain to not overstuff the hen to keep away from cheese oozing out throughout cooking.
- When you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, sear the hen in a daily pan and switch it to a baking dish earlier than including the tomatoes and putting it within the oven.
Energy: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 31g | Fats: 22g | Saturated Fats: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 8g | Trans Fats: 0.01g | Ldl cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 458mg | Potassium: 525mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 799IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 1mg
Servings: 4 servings
Energy: 343kcal
