Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This is a beautifully creamy stuffed chicken breast recipe - it is rich and chock full of delicious vegetables. I had 2 VERY large chicken breasts that equaled 2 pounds, so I cut them each in half so I had 4 pieces to work with before creating the pockets.

If you are a fan of spinach artichoke dip, there's nothing not to love about this recipe! The chicken is beautifully seasoned and seared, and the dip makes such a wonderful sauce. The chicken stays wonderfully moist. Serving this over some rice or mashed potatoes would give another great base to catch some of that delicious sauce!

We served these with some sauteed broccoli - I figured all that richness in the sauce could use some extra green to balance things out a little!

Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts adapted from Cafe Delights

Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 TBS Italian seasoning
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Spinach Artichoke Dip
8-oz fresh spinach, sauteed in a little bit of liquid and drained very well
8-oz (1) block cream cheese, at room temp
14-oz can artichoke hearts in brine, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 TBS minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt, more to taste
1/4 tsp pepper, more to taste

Cream Sauce
Remaining spinach / artichoke dip
1 cup half and half or heavy cream

Directions

1. Lay the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board, and cut a pocket into each, being careful not to cut all the way through. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the Italian seasoning and paprika. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the Spinach Artichoke Dip ingredients, mixing well with a spatula until evenly mixed. Taste test, and adjust the seasonings if necessary. 
3. Stuff about 1-2 TBS of filling into each chicken pocket, don't overfill. Seal with about 2 toothpicks at the opening on each piece.
4. Heat about 1 TBS olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. 
5. Lay the breasts in the skillet and allow to sear for about 5-7 minutes per side until well browned.
6. You can continue one of 2 ways if your chicken breasts are not cooked through. Remove from the pan, and finish cooking until they reach at least 160 degrees in the oven while you prep the cream sauce, or add the cream sauce ingredients to the pan around them and simmer over low heat all together until the chicken reaches 160 degrees and is cooked through. Just be careful not to burn the sauce ingredients - check and stir occasionally. 
7. If your chicken is cooked, you can remove it from the pan and set on a plate. Add the cream sauce ingredients to the pan, and stir gently until well combined and creamy. Serve sauce over or alongside your chicken. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice if you would like!