Ham Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
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This amazing Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast is so delicious and easy! It’s covered in a lemon butter sauce and the result is so tender and moist. It’s the perfect quick and easy dinner recipe your family will love.
Sometimes chicken recipes are hard to add that WOW factor to them, but this Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast does not have that problem. Maybe it’s that buttery lemon sauce that it’s topped with!
This chicken dish is so tender, juicy and flavorful!
The best part is when you try the recipe and it truly is what you expected – AMAZING! This recipe will become a new family favorite and will be added to your favorite recipes. Serve it with a healthy side dish like Roasted Cauliflower or try my amazing Baked Potato recipe!
The ingredients for this wonderful recipe are so basic and most likely are already in your refrigerator and pantry on a regular basis.
This recipe, my friends, is that perfect recipe without limitations, which means – winner! It’s the go-to recipe to make when you have guests over and want to serve something that is impressive, yet doesn’t take hours to prepare. However, it’s also that recipe you are able to make for a simple dinner for your family because it’s so EASY to make.
Here’s a quick overview of how to make this recipe!
Steps to Prepare
- Prep Chicken – Lightly beat chicken breast with meat mallet. Season with salt and pepper. Cut chicken breast to create a pocket. Stuff with cheese and ham, tucking ingredients securely into pocket.
- Saute – Pour olive oil into a skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in skillet to saute. Remove from skillet and transfer to plate. Add butter and garlic to pan and saute for one minute, stirring frequently. Add flour and mix vigorously. Then add chicken broth, lemon juice and lightly season with salt and pepper, while whisking continuously. Simmer until it starts to thicken.
- Bake – Add chicken back into the skillet, pour sauce over it and then cover skillet with foil and bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Pick large boneless chicken breasts so they are easier to cut and stuff.
- Sometimes you can get pre-cut chicken breasts at your grocery store.
- Don’t cut your chicken breast all the way through, cut just enough to create a pocket.
- To cut the breasts lay them flat on a cutting board. Then cut a pocked parallel to the cutting board. Make sure it stays connected on three sides. Here’s a great video to watch the shows you how to cut them!
- Seal the pockets with toothpicks to the cheese from oozing out too much, but, DON’T forget to remove the toothpicks! Remove the toothpicks before you add the chicken back to the skillet with the sauce or they will be hard to find afterward. I used about 2 – 3 toothpicks per breast.
- You can use your favorite cheese for the recipe. I used sliced provolone but you can use mozzarella, Colby jack or even something like goat cheese – that’ll give it a totally unique flavor. If using grated cheese, be sure to really secure the pockets of the chicken so the cheese doesn’t ooze out completely.
- Be sure your skillet is hot before adding the chicken, it will gain a golden and crispy finish.
- When baking, don’t overcook the chicken, it will not taste as juicy. Since you are searing it before baking it, the bake time isn’t long. Test the internal temp should be 165°F once cooked.
- If you don’t have an oven safe skillet remove the chicken from the skillet and transfer to oven safe casserole dish to finish baking it in the oven.
- You can use your favorite ham. (I used off-the-bone ham.).
I hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe with your family and it becomes a regular around your dinner table. Dinner time is the best place to make wonderful memories!
How long does it take the chicken to cook?
You will first cook the chicken for six minutes on each side over medium high heat in a skillet.
After that you will finish cooking it by baking it in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until cooked through.
What should the internal temperature chicken?
The internal temperature of the chicken breast will be 165 degrees F when it is cooked through.
Finish the Meal!
- You can never go wrong with buttery mashed potatoes with any meal!
- This delicious Broccoli Casserole has the best topping and is quick and easy.
- Need a lighter side dish? Try these easy Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Chicken Breasts
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 lb ham sliced
- 8 slices cheese halved
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Sauce
- 6 Tbsp butter
- 1/3 c. chicken broth
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp lemon juice fresh
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F at step 5.
- Lightly beat chicken breast with a meat mallet. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Create opening in chicken to create a pocket. Add two halves of cheese, ham and two more halved slices, tucking ingredients into the pocket. Gently secure with toothpicks.
- Heat oil over medium heat in large oven safe skillet . Carefully add chicken and cook 6 minutes on both sides (until chicken is golden and crispy). Remove chicken.
- In the same skillet, add butter and garlic. Saute for a minute, stirring frequently. Add flour, mix vigorously. Add chicken broth, lemon juice and lightly season with salt and pepper, while whisking continuously. Simmer another minute until sauce begins to thicken.
- Add chicken back to the skillet. Pour sauce over chicken.
- Cover skillet with foil and bake 15-20 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
Tips
- Pick large boneless chicken breasts so they are easier to cut and stuff.
- Sometimes you can get pre-cut chicken breasts at your grocery store.
- Don’t cut your chicken breast all the way through, cut just enough to create a pocket.
- To cut the breasts lay them flat on a cutting board. Then cut a pocked parallel to the cutting board. Make sure it stays connected on three sides. Here’s a great video to watch the shows you how to cut them!
- Seal the pockets with toothpicks to the cheese from oozing out too much, but, DON’T forget to remove the toothpicks! Remove the toothpicks before you add the chicken back to the skillet with the sauce or they will be hard to find afterward. I used about 2 – 3 toothpicks per breast.
- You can use your favorite cheese for the recipe. I used sliced provolone but you can use mozzarella, Colby jack or even something like goat cheese – that’ll give it a totally unique flavor. If using grated cheese, be sure to really secure the pockets of the chicken so the cheese doesn’t ooze out completely.
- Be sure your skillet is hot before adding the chicken, it will gain a golden and crispy finish.
- When baking, don’t overcook the chicken, it will not taste as juicy. Since you are searing it before baking it, the bake time isn’t long. Test the internal temp should be 165°F once cooked.
- You can use your favorite ham. (I used off-the-bone ham.).
Toni Turner says
Absolutely perfect. Made a little extra gravy by adding a bit more four, stock, lemon juice and garlic, but only because my family is gravy mad. It looks exactly the same as the picture and tastes delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for rating and commenting!
Amy Phillips says
We loved it very simple & full of flavor Thanks
Great with grilled mushrooms! & Broccoli!
Julie Evink says
Oooo that does sounds amazing together!
Roger Baker says
No link to video re: cutting pocket
Layne says
Juuuuulie – this looks amazing, I can’t wait to make them!
Julie Evink says
Laaaaaaaaaayne…. you need to make them!!!
Kwobah says
I hv to taste it today it looks wooooooooooo
April says
this was such a hit! thanks julie!
Erin Dennison says
Made this with ham, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and chives. Turned out AMAZING, melt in your mouth good! Served with steamed broccoli and wild rice with quinoa and mushrooms and we had a gourmet family dinner!
Julie Evink says
Oh wow that does sound amazing!
Allie says
Made this with prosciutto and provolone inside! So delicious!!
Julie Evink says
Oh that sounds like a fabulous twist on this!
Nellie Tracy says
This is one of my all time favorite recipes ever! So delicious!
Sarah says
I do t think I can eat chicken any other way now. This was sooo good!
Sommer Collier says
Heaven! This is a true family favorite!!
Julie Evink says
It sure is! Love that cheese!
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
That sauce looks positively DRINKABLE! I’m a sucker for a good sauce, and paired with this chicken? YUM.
Julie Evink says
All my faves in one!
Melissa Howell says
This looks DIVINE! I totally want to make this for Sunday dinner!
Julie Evink says
You totally should!
Malinda says
This definitely does have that WOW I can’t wait to try this effect!!
Julie Evink says
You’ll love it!
Danielle Green says
I can guarantee my family would love this! Looks amazing!
Valentina Ablaev says
Thanks so much, Danielle. 🙂
Julie Evink says
Yes they would for sure!