Creamy Pepperjack Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast is rich, flavorful, and filled with veggies. Seared then baked until it's tender. If you enjoy cheesy chicken dinners with zesty flavor, you'll also love this creamy chicken orzo recipe for an easy weeknight dinner.
Cheese stuffed chicken is riiight up my alley! Stuffing chicken sounds more complicated than it actually is. You just cut a little pocket, stuff it, sear it, and bake it to juicy perfection! We love to pair with a green salad or put on a bed of cilantro lime brown rice or fluffy instant pot jasmine rice.
Recipe Summary: Pepperjack Stuffed Chicken Breast
- ✅ Recipe Name: Creamy Pepperjack Stuffed Chicken Breast
- 🕒 Ready In: 35 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 4-6, depending on chicken breast size
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: chicken breast, cream cheese, bell pepper, pepperjack cheese, seasonings
- 📖 Dietary Info: gluten-free, high protein
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: a step up from boring baked chicken, this is packed with flavor and SO delicious!
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The nice thing about pepperjack chicken is that it's super easy to customize. Want a little spinach in there? Put it in! Green onion? Absolutely. Cheese on TOP? Sold. The possibilities are endless. If I'm in a hurry, I use a little pre-made homemade taco seasoning for chicken on top of the chicken. So good!
I WILL say that this chicken is best with a little bit of sauce. It could be salsa verde, sour cream or crema, avocado cilantro lime ranch, whatever your heart desires.
Jump to:
- Recipe Summary: Pepperjack Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 📝 Key Ingredients
- ✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- 🧑🍳 How to make Pepperjack Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Sara's Expert Tip
- 📌 Troubleshooting
- ❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing
- ❓Frequently Asked Questions
- 🍽️ Serving Ideas
- 🍗 More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
- 📝 Printable Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Taste: Cream cheese and bell pepper you can taste right away, and the melty pepperjack cheese.
- Ease: Medium level difficulty, it can be tricky to cut the chicken correctly if the chicken breasts aren't thick enough or too thick.
- Time: 10ish minutes prep time and 20-25 minutes cook time. Preheating the oven while you're searing the chicken helps!
📝 Key Ingredients
- Cream cheese - This is to help make the stuffing into more of a sauce as it cooks, and it tastes delicious. You can use flavored cream cheese if you want, but you might want to go easy on the other seasonings if you do.
- Chili powder - it goes well with the other seasonings, adds some flavor depth and color to the chicken when it cooks.
- Chicken breasts - use plump, medium sized chicken breasts. Very large ones will take a longer time to cook, and smaller ones may dry out in the oven if you have both and small sizes cooking at the same time. Larger ones CAN work, just make sure they're pounded out to about 1.5 inches thick and keep in mind they may have a longer cook time.
- Pepperjack cheese - chosen because it's melty, spicy, and delicious. It packs a lot of flavor in a small space, which is why it's perfect for stuffing chicken!
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- You can use other cheeses! A nice jalapeño or habanero cheddar would be amazing.
- Bell pepper can be switched out for poblano, jalapeno (use less) or your variety of choice. Pepperoncini would be delicious too. Green chile is another personal favorite, and I use it in things like green chile enchiladas with New Mexico green chiles and New Mexico green chile posole with chicken.
- Bacon Ranch Pepperjack Chicken? Say less. Add a few cooked bacon crumbles and a Tablespoon or so of ranch to the cheese mixture and you're set!
🧑🍳 How to make Pepperjack Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Step 1. Using a sharp knife, slice through the middle of each chicken breast lengthwise (not all the way through) to create a pocket to stuff the filling into. I leave at least a half inch on each end unsliced so that the filling does not fall out.
- Step 2. Combine ingredients for dry rub (garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper) and sprinkle over both sides of each chicken breast carefully.
- Step 3. In a small bowl combine softened cream cheese, shredded pepperjack cheese, bell pepper, chopped onion, and garlic. Mix well.
- Step 4. Spoon filling into each chicken breast, dividing filling evenly between them. (If you have extras you can spread it over the top of the chicken after searing in the pan before it goes in the oven.) Using toothpicks or skewers, pin the edges of the chicken shut at a diagonal angle.
- Step 5. Heat a large oven safe frying pan (I use cast iron) over medium heat, and add olive oil. If you don't have an oven safe frying pan just use a normal one, then transfer the chicken to baking dish. Sear chicken for about 4 minutes on each side, making sure they do not burn. Any extra filling can be spread on chicken breasts at this point.
- Step 6. Immediately transfer to preheated oven (if using a regular frying pan transfer to oven safe baking dish) and bake at 400 ℉ for 15-18 minutes, or until instant read thermometer in thickest part of breast reads at least 165 ℉. Much higher and it will be dry! Remove from oven, cover pan in foil, and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Sara's Expert Tip
If you don't have a cast iron frying pan, you can use a regular pan and then a baking dish to finish baking the chicken.
📌 Troubleshooting
- Dry chicken: cause - overcooking/high temp on stove → fix - use instant read thermometer to check temp in the oven.
- Cheese oozing: cause - overstuffing/pocket not deep enough → fix - use pockets + secure edges with toothpicks at a diagonal angle.
❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing
Refrigerate: 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Freezing instructions: Freeze raw or cooked individually wrapped for up to three months. Thaw completely in refrigerator before cooking/reheating.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Letting the chicken rest after baking helps the muscle fibers relax and helps the juices and flavor reabsorb into the meat before cutting into it.
Yes! I would wrap individually in plastic wrap and then place in freezer safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Then thaw completely in refrigerator before cooking/rehating.
Make sure you cook it to the correct temperature! 165℉. Then tent it in foil in the pan and let the meat rest before serving.
GOOD QUESTION. I got you bro.
· Salsa is GREAT. A salsa verde or favorite red salsa is lovely too.
· Creamy route with sour cream or avocado lime tomatillo ranch or cottage cheese ranch.
· Toasted sesame dressing is another favorite that works well. I'd buy the big one, You'll use it on everything and it will disappear. Ask me how I know.
🍽️ Serving Ideas
- Grains - cilantro lime rice, pilaf, or couscous is lovely with this!
- Salad - can't go wrong with a green salad and cottage cheese ranch on top.
🍗 More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Creamy Pepperjack Stuffed Chicken Breast
Equipment
- heavy bottomed frying pan, such as cast iron.
- toothpicks or skewers
Ingredients
Dry rub:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 large raw chicken breasts 8-10 oz each
Chicken Filling :
- 4 oz softened cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese 2.5 oz
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped finely
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Using a sharp knife, slice through the middle of each chicken breast lengthwise (not all the way through) to create a pocket to stuff the filling into. I leave at least a half inch on each end unsliced so that the filling does not fall out.3 large raw chicken breasts
- Combine ingredients for dry rub and sprinkle over both sides of each chicken breast carefully.1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt , ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- In a small bowl combine softened cream cheese, shredded pepperjack cheese, bell pepper, chopped onion, and garlic. Mix well.4 oz softened cream cheese, 1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese, ½ red bell pepper, chopped finely , ¼ cup finely chopped onion , 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Spoon filling into each chicken breast, dividing filling evenly between them. (If you have extras you can spread it over the top of the chicken after searing in the pan before it goes in the oven.) Using toothpicks or skewers, pin the edges of the chicken shut at a diagonal angle.
- Heat a large oven safe frying pan (I use cast iron) over medium heat, and add olive oil. If you don't have an oven safe frying pan just use a normal one, then transfer the chicken to baking dish. Sear chicken for about 4 minutes on each side, making sure they do not burn. Any extra filling can be spread on chicken breasts at this point.2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Immediately transfer to preheated oven (if using a regular frying pan transfer to oven safe baking dish) and bake at 400 F for 15-18 minutes, or until instant read thermometer in thickest part of breast reads at least 165 F. Remove from oven, cover pan in foil, and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
Candy says
What side dishes do you serve with this?
Sara says
I usually serve it with a green salad or steamed vegetable like broccoli , zucchini, or asparagus. Hope that helps!