This Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breast is flavorful, tender, and super simple to make. Get the grill ready. In less than 30 minutes of time, you'll have a perfectly grilled chicken dinner ready and waiting. Pair with some of your favorite side dishes and you've created an amazing summertime meal.
There's just something so moist and delicious about cooking chicken on the grill. It's such a simple method of cooking, yet we often revert to the stove! Why is that?! This recipe is changing that and I'm all for it. What I love about this simple chicken recipe is that when you slice inside, there's melty goodness cheese that is literally waiting to be enjoyed.
This chicken breast recipe is one of my latest recipes that I'm now craving all the time. I'd say that it's a hit with the kids as well because they're asking for it also. Since I've found success making this on the grill, I'm going to wait to try this recipe on the skillet. Maybe that's a goal when the weather turns cold again and I won't be out using the charcoal grill as much.
Speaking of grilling, check out my Grilled Pizza Dough Recipe with Mozzarella & Arugula. Delicious and easy!
Ingredients:
Chicken breasts - I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. It makes it easier to create butterflied chicken breasts.
Shredded cheddar cheese - I love the flavor of cheddar cheese but you can easily use provolone cheese or any type that you'd like.
Diced ham - Such a great flavor addition! You can use leftover ham if you have some, deli ham that has been cut up, or buy chopped ham at the store.
Cream cheese - This adds a nice creaminess to every bite.
Olive oil - Perfect for grilling the chicken and getting those nice grill marks. Coconut oil would work fine also.
Salt & Pepper - Make sure to season the chicken with some sea salt or kosher salt and black pepper or it will be bland.
How to Make Grilled Stuffed Chicken Breast
Step One: Preheat grill to medium-high.
Step Two: Cut a slit in each chicken breast.
Step Three: Mix together the cheese, ham, and cream cheese. Divide between the two chicken breasts.
Step Four: Drizzle the outside of the chicken with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step Five: Grill for 10 minutes on each side or until 160 when checked internally with a meat thermometer. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Variations
Add bacon - There's always room for bacon! It would pair well with the rest of the flavors and add more protein.
Make a marinade - If you have a favorite marinade for chicken, you can marinate the chicken for a couple of hours before you stuff it. I like a simple fresh garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice marinade.
Heat - Want some spice in your stuffed chicken? Slip a few thinly sliced jalapeño peppers into the stuffing.
Veggies - Adding in some thinly sliced or chopped onion, pepper, or zucchini are great choices.
Common Questions
What side dishes pair well with chicken?
Everything pairs well with chicken! Some of my favorite side dishes I cook on the grill. Grilled squash and grilled tomatoes are super delicious and if you're a fan of heat, grill up some jalapeno peppers and enjoy! I also think that grilled bell peppers that are farm fresh have quite a yummy flavor.
During the summer months, we love going to the Farmer's Market and stocking up on all the fresh veggies that we can. This gives us a plethora of side dishes options that we can grill, steam, or even eat raw.
I also love just making a side salad and having that as a light balance to the cheese and meat. You really can't go wrong with any type of pairing that you choose.
How do you butterfly a chicken breast?
The biggest thing to remember when you're butterflying a chicken breast is to lay it flat on the cutting surface. You can then use a sharp knife and split the chicken breast into two parts, but don't cut through the chicken all the way. The "butterfly" effect is supposed to look like butterfly wings and still be held together in the middle.
This gives you the space to stuff in the ingredients and then fold the chicken breast back over to grill and hold everything in place.
How do you know when the chicken is done cooking on the grill?
Using a meat thermometer is the best way! The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees. Once it hits that number, the chicken should be safe to remove off the grill and let rest.
I have a meat thermometer that I keep handy but the grill just for this reason. Cooking on the grill can be a much different cooking experience than cooking on the stove so it's important to have the right grilling tools to help.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (about 10 ounces)
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup diced ham
- 4 tablespoon cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium-high.
- Cut a slit in each chicken breast.
- Mix together the cheese, ham, and cream cheese. Divide between the two chicken breasts.
- Drizzle the outside of the chicken with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Grill for 10 minutes on each side or until 160 when checked internally with a meat thermometer. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Shelley T. says
Any suggestions for making this in the oven? Possibly under the broiler? I don't have a grill, but this looks delicious!
Taryn says
Sure, you can bake it. I baked this stuffed chicken: https://joyfilledeats.com/spinach-artichoke-stuffed-chicken/
Cheryl Katavich says
My family loved this recipe!
Jenni says
This chicken is SO GOOD! It was a lot easier to make than I thought it would be, and it tasted so good! I will definitely make this again!
Natalie says
I really amazed my guests with your stuffed chicken recipe. I love how simple and tasty it is, thanks!
Renee says
I've made this recipe several times, and even when company comes over. Everyone loves it. It's a keeper for sure.
Natalie says
Amazing recipe! My kids loved your stuffed chicken. So simple to prepare, just what I needed, thanks!