Description
Delicious Stuffed Chicken Masala featuring juicy boneless chicken breasts filled with a rich blend of fontina, sun dried tomatoes, and parmesan cheese. The chicken is seared to perfection, then baked in a creamy marsala wine sauce with garlic and mushrooms for a flavorful, comforting meal that’s perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Stuffing
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups fontina cheese, shredded (about 7 oz)
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- ⅔ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 sprigs thyme (for topping)
Marsala Sauce
- 1 ½ cups marsala wine (or substitute chicken broth)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- 2 sprigs thyme
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) to prepare for baking the chicken after searing.
- Prepare Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a 2-3 inch wide pocket into the thick side of each breast, taking care not to slice all the way through.
- Make the Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded fontina cheese, chopped sun dried tomatoes, shredded parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Mix thoroughly to combine the flavors.
- Stuff the Chicken: Divide the cheese and tomato mixture evenly, stuffing it into the pockets of each chicken breast.
- Secure the Chicken: Pinch the open side of each chicken breast to close the pocket and secure them with toothpicks to keep the filling inside during cooking.
- Season Chicken: In a small bowl, mix the kosher salt and garlic powder. Sprinkle this seasoning mixture over both sides of each stuffed chicken breast, rubbing it in gently with your fingers.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Prepare Marsala Sauce: In the same skillet, add marsala wine, minced garlic, sliced mushrooms, heavy cream, salt, and thyme sprigs. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, cooking for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Bake the Chicken: Return the seared chicken to the skillet, spooning some sauce over each piece. Transfer the whole skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted inside.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and discard the thyme sprigs. Spoon extra marsala sauce over the chicken breasts, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top, garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute marsala wine with chicken broth for a milder flavor.
- Be careful not to cut through the chicken when making the pocket to prevent the filling from leaking.
- Use toothpicks or kitchen twine to secure the chicken to avoid spilling of stuffing while cooking.
- Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread to soak up the delicious marsala sauce.
- Let the chicken rest 5 minutes after baking before serving for juicier results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Stuffed Chicken Masala, Marsala Chicken, Cheese Stuffed Chicken, Baked Chicken with Marsala Sauce, Italian Chicken Recipe
