How To

How to Stuff a Chicken Breast

How do you make boneless skinless chicken breasts better? Stuff them!
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    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell
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    Make the cut

    Hold the chicken breast flat against a board with one hand, making sure your fingers aren't in the way of being sliced. Use the other hand to hold a sharp chef's knife to slice down the middle of one side of the breast. Start with one big sweep from top to bottom...

  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell
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    Butterfly

    Then pull open the breast like a book to see how far into it you've sliced. Continue with gentle sweeps down the inner spine of the "book" until it lies open flat. The technical culinary term for this is "butterflying" since it should look sort of like a butterfly when you're done.

  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell
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    Fill It In

    Spread the "butterfly" with your sauce or topping of choice.

  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell
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    Stuff It

    And then layer it with whatever other stuffing ingredients you're using.

  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell
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    Fold 'em

    Then fold it back up into a compact breast. If you want, you can tie it up with string or stick a toothpick in the sides to keep the filling from falling out, but you'd only need to do that if you're pan-searing, not if you're just roasting it in the oven.

  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell
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    Get Salty

    Place your stuffed chicken breasts on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper (to make clean-up easier!) and season with salt and pepper. If you'd like, you can also brush them with a little oil or butter on top to help them brown better, or brush them with your sauce or glaze of choice.

  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell
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    Roast

    Roast on the top rack in a 400°F oven for about 20 minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F, or the juices run clear when poked with a knife.

  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell
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    Eat!

    Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Anna joined Epicurious in 2015, and since 2018 she has also been a part of the food team for Bon Appétit, developing recipes, writing, and food styling for both brands, as well as Healthyish. She has worked as a recipe tester in the test kitchens of various food publications including ... Read More
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