Name: Cream Cheese-&-Pesto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese; 1 tablespoon basil pesto (store-bought or homemade); Ground pepper to taste; 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1-1 1/4 pounds total); 1 egg white; 0.5 cup plain dry breadcrumbs; 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Cream Cheese-&-Pesto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

4.9

(10)

10 Reviews

Cream cheese and pesto make a delectable filling for lean chicken breasts. Use this technique to experiment with other fillings as well, such as ham and cheese or goat cheese and chopped olives.

EatingWell Test Kitchen

Updated on August 16, 2019

Cook Time:

25 mins

Additional Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Servings:

Yield:

4 stuffed chicken breast

Nutrition Profile:

Heart Healthy Low-Calorie Low Carbohydrate Diabetes Appropriate Low Sodium Healthy Aging Low Added Sugars

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese
1 tablespoon basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
Ground pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1-1 1/4 pounds total)
1 egg white
½ cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
Combine cream cheese, pesto and pepper in a small bowl with a fork.
Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up each breast and place one-fourth of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.
Lightly beat egg white with a fork in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in the egg white, then dredge in the breadcrumbs. (Discard leftovers.)
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees F, about 20 minutes.

Tips

Easy cleanup: Recipes that require cooking spray can leave behind a sticky residue that can be hard to clean. To save time and keep your baking sheet looking fresh, line it with a layer of foil before you apply the cooking spray.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

249	Calories
9g	Fat
11g	Carbs
30g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Serving Size 1 stuffed chicken breast
Calories 249
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 11g	4%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 30g	59%
Total Fat 9g	12%
Saturated Fat 2g	12%
Cholesterol 88mg	29%
Vitamin A 106IU	2%
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Folate 34mcg	9%
Sodium 220mg	10%
Calcium 70mg	5%
Iron 1mg	7%
Magnesium 41mg	10%
Potassium 450mg	10%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.