Garlic Asparagus Stuffed Chicken in a lemon butter sauce is the most delicious way to get your veggies in.
Believe it or not, our Asparagus Stuffed Chicken recipe is loved by the whole family! Why? Garlic smothered asparagus gets stuffed inside juicy chicken breasts with mozzarella cheese, baked in lemon butter and is ready in no time at all!
ASPARAGUS STUFFED CHICKEN RECIPE
With the abundance of fresh asparagus right now, this asparagus stuffed chicken recipe comes to you just in time! Seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, herbs, paprika, salt and pepper, you will love the flavours coming out of this pan.
The best part? You’re only a few ingredients away to make this low carb greatness. If you’re sick of the same old, dried out chicken breast recipes, add a mouth-watering twist to your weekly menu and stuff them with cheesy asparagus.
CUT CHICKEN BREAST FOR STUFFING
Place each chicken breast on a flat clean work surface. With your hand supporting a breast piece, CAREFULLY cut a slit or pocket starting from the top thick middle part of the breast to the other end. Use the sharp end of your knife to create the pocket, being careful not to cut all the way through as the cheese WILL spill out while cooking.
HOW TO MAKE ASPARAGUS STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
- PREHEAT OVEN at 400°F or 200°C.
- GRAB YOUR PANS! You can either use an oven-proof pan, OR a regular frying pan to sear them first, then a baking dish for the oven.
- SLICE a pocket into the side of your chicken breasts as above. Cut each breast lengthwise to create a pocket about 3/4 quarters of the way through, being careful not to cut all the way in.
- SEASON your chicken all over the outside AND the inside of the pocket. You want the flavours all over and through each breast.
- STUFF each chicken breast with 3-4 garlic smothered asparagus spears and 2-3 mozzarella slices. You could also add in sun dried tomato strips as shown in the image above OR diced bacon!
- SEAL with two or three toothpicks near the opening to keep the stuffing inside while cooking.
- SEAR in a frying pan or oven-proof skillet until beautifully golden browned.
- ADD in a bit of butter, garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice. These ingredients makes up a delicious sauce that mixes through some incredible tasting pan juices.
BAKE COVERED OR UNCOVERED?
Stuffed chicken breasts cook faster AND retain juices when covered. You want to bake them covered first to ensure the chicken bakes with moisture, guaranteeing juicy meat. Cooking chicken breasts uncovered the entire time will make for dry chicken breasts. NO GOOD!
THEN, uncover and bake for the last 3-5 minutes to further brown the edges and dry out some of those pan juices.
HOW LONG TO COOK STUFFED CHICKEN
Since you’re searing your stuffed chicken breasts first to lock in those juices, they only need about 15-20 minutes in the oven to finish them off. A good rule of thumb is to check if the juices run clear when pierced with a fork/knife, or the internal temperature reaches 155˚F (70˚C) if using a meat thermometer.
CAN I FREEZE COOKED STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST?
Absolutely! Freeze any COOKED stuffed chicken breasts for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bags to prevent freezer burns.
HOW TO SEAL STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST
The BEST way to prevent your filling from spilling out all over your pan is to secure them with toothpicks. Use 2-3 toothpicks per stuffed chicken breast to seal the opening/edges. Just remember to remove them before serving!
SERVING SUGGESTION
Like our Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breast, you can serve this stuffed chicken with a simple side salad, cauliflower rice, garlic mushrooms, mashed potatoes if not watching carbs, or buttery cauliflower mash.
MORE ASPARAGUS RECIPES
Cream of Asparagus Soup
Cheesy Garlic Roasted Asparagus
Crispy Parmesan Asparagus with Garlic Butter
Garlic Asparagus Stuffed Chicken recipe in a lemon butter sauce is the most delicious way to get your veggies in. Loved by the whole family! Why? Garlic smothered asparagus gets stuffed inside juicy chicken breasts with mozzarella cheese, baked in lemon butter and is ready in no time at all!
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients
CHICKEN:
- 2 pounds (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 4 fillets
- 3/4 teaspoon EACH dried oregano and dried basil, or your choice of herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH garlic powder and onion salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
STUFFING:
- 12-15 spears asparagus, woody ends removed
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper/chili flakes, optional
- 8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese, or provolone
LEMON BUTTER SAUCE:
- 2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Instructions
FOR THE CHICKEN
In a medium bowl, combine together dried herbs, garlic powder, onion salt, paprika, a good pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Set aside.
Place each chicken breast on a flat surface. With your hand supporting each piece, cut a slit or pocket about 3/4 quarter of the way through, being careful not to cut all the way through.
Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Season chicken all over and inside the pockets with the seasoning mix. Rub with 2 teaspoon of the olive oil to evenly coat.
FOR THE STUFFING
In the same bowl the seasoning was in, toss asparagus with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, minced garlic and red pepper flakes if using.
Stuff each chicken breast with 3-4 asparagus spears and 2 slices mozzarella cheese.
Seal chicken breasts with two or three toothpicks near the opening to seal.
SEAR
Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in an oven-proof skillet or non stick pan over medium-high heat. Sear chicken until golden on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side.
For the sauce, add lemon juice, butter and minced garlic to the pan around the chicken.
BAKE
Cover and bake for 12-15 minutes.
Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reads 155˚F (70˚C) if using a meat thermometer.)
SUGGESTION: Serve with lemon butter pan juices.
Notes
Cooked asparagus stuffed chicken breasts can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
