I still remember the first time I made this dish. It was a rainy Sunday, and I wanted to cook something that felt both comforting and a little bit special. As I was slicing into those vibrant, jarred roasted red peppers and the fresh, earthy spinach hit the warm pan with a gentle sizzle, my kitchen started to fill with the most incredible aroma. The moment I pulled the golden, stuffed chicken from the oven, the melted mozzarella oozing out like a secret prize, I knew this recipe was a keeper. It’s become my go-to for impressing dinner guests without spending all night in the kitchen, and it never fails to make an ordinary evening feel like a celebration.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You are going to love this recipe because it takes simple, wholesome ingredients and transforms them into a stunning, restaurant-quality meal right in your own oven. It’s incredibly satisfying to cut into the crispy exterior and reveal that beautiful, colorful, cheesy filling. Plus, it’s surprisingly straightforward to put together once you get the hang of stuffing the chicken, and the end result looks so impressive. It’s the perfect dish for when you want to feel like a culinary rockstar without the stress.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 1 cup roasted red peppers, drained and sliced into strips (I use the jarred kind for ease)
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, packed
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- For the exterior:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Let’s talk ingredients for a second. For the roasted red peppers, I’ve tried both jarred and roasting my own bell peppers. While homemade is lovely, trust me, the high-quality jarred ones work beautifully here and save so much time—just make sure to pat them dry with a paper towel so your filling isn’t watery. For the mozzarella, don’t use fresh mozzarella balls; the moisture content is too high. Pre-shredded low-moisture mozzarella is what you want for that perfect, stringy melt. And please, don’t skip the fresh spinach! I tried it once with frozen, thawed spinach, and it made the filling far too soggy. That little bit of wilting you do with the fresh stuff makes all the difference.(See the next page below to continue…)