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Flavorful, well-seasoned Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast is an easy, yet awesome dish that everyone will love! No matter the occasion, this hearty combination of chicken, pesto, and cheese is sure to please. Plus, it’s quick to make in the air fryer!
Super-Easy Stuffed Chicken Breast
Stuffed chicken breasts are a “fancy” dinner option that’s full of flavor and has a gorgeous presentation. They are also easy to make, especially this fragrant version prepared with basil pesto, crumbled feta cheese, and garlic.
This delightful dish results in perfectly golden brown, juicy, and tender chicken, thanks to a quick cooking time in the air fryer! That’s right, the air fryer does most of the work, and guarantees perfectly-cooked chicken, with practically no fuss.
Cleanup is minimal, too, making this recipe a win-win. ?
What You’ll Need
Prepared pesto is the secret ingredient to making this simple air fryer stuffed chicken breast. You get so much complexity and freshness in one ingredient! There’s no need to add more than a handful of additional items. Here’s the full list of what you’ll need:
For the Chicken
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts turn out tender and juicy in the air fryer, and they are easy to stuff with filling.
- Oil: Olive oil is my go-to, but you can use any neutral oil here.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper to taste, sweet or smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper are a great blend of seasonings that bring out the best in chicken breast.
For the Filling
- Pesto: Basil pesto is chock-full of flavorful herbs, cheese, olive oil, and other goodies. It’s a great way to add tons of flavor with ease.
- Cheese: Crumbled feta cheese is salty, tangy, and makes the filling extra tantalizing.
- Garlic: Minced fresh garlic cloves are the perfect final touch in this aromatic filling.
How to Make Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast
Now for the best part – how to make these awesome stuffed chicken breasts, filled with pesto and cheese. Get your air fryer ready and prepare for the best (and easiest) stuffed chicken ever!
- Preheat. Before you begin, preheat the air fryer to 360˚F.
- Butterfly the Chicken Breasts. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Use a meat mallet to lightly pound each breast to an even thickness (but do not pound them thin). Using a sharp knife, cut into the side of each breast, using a sawing motion to slice about ¾ of the way through. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Open up the chicken breast like a book, and press down to flatten.
- Stuff the Chicken. Combine the pesto, feta, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Spoon the filling into the four opened chicken breasts. Then close them up and secure them with toothpicks.
- Season and Cook. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and season them with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Transfer the chicken breasts carefully to the air fryer basket, and cook for about twenty minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through and the filling is completely hot and melted. (Chicken is done when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F).
- Cool and Serve. Take the chicken out of the air fryer and let it stand for about 5 minutes before serving.
How Do You Keep Stuffed Chicken Breast Closed?
When you insert the toothpicks to secure the chicken breast, try inserting them diagonally from top to bottom – or even threaded, like a needle in fabric. Don’t insert them straight up and down, because they’ll be more likely to come loose.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips to make your air fryer stuffed chicken breast as awesome as possible. These easy and helpful hints will make the most of the simple ingredients here, transforming them into a fantastic dinner!
- Spacing: Make sure to place the chicken breasts far enough away from each other that they are not touching. This allows every area of the chicken to get crispy.
- Meat Thermometer: Using a meat thermometer is a great way to ensure your chicken doesn’t get overdone. The cooked internal temperature of chicken should be 165˚F.
- Oven Option: If you don’t have an air fryer, you could also bake the chicken in the oven! Just preheat to 375˚F and bake the stuffed chicken breasts on a sheet pan for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cooked through.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast
This flavorful pesto chicken is great any way you serve it, especially when you add your favorite sides! If you need some side dish inspiration, no worries. Here are a few great options to serve with stuffed chicken breasts.
- Roasted Veggies: Hearty Roasted Potatoes and Carrots are a great, healthy side dish that goes amazingly with chicken! Easy to make, and full of flavor.
- Broccoli: Who doesn’t love broccoli with chicken? Easy Garlicky Steamed Broccoli is a simple, fresh-tasting way to cook this classic veggie.
- Rice: You should definitely try my very quick and very easy Almond Brown Rice Pilaf.
- Watermelon Salad: Colorful, unusual, and, as the name implies, refreshing, this Refreshing Watermelon Salad makes the perfect light side dish for any chicken recipe.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Store your air fryer stuffed chicken breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheat it in the air fryer or oven until heated throughout.
Can I Freeze Stuffed Chicken?
- Yes! Cool completely before putting it in an airtight container and freezing it for up to 3 months.
ENJOY!
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Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- salt and fresh ground black pepper,, to taste
- ½ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
FOR THE FILLING
- ½ cup basil pesto
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 cloves garlic,, minced
Instructions
- Preheat Air Fryer to 360˚F.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board or a work surface.
- Slightly pound each chicken breast to an even thickness; DO NOT pound them thin.
- To butterfly the chicken breasts, hold a sharp knife along the long side of the chicken breast.
- Using a sawing motion, slice about ¾ of the way through, being careful not to cut all the way through.
- Fold out the chicken like a book, and press down to flatten. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl combine the basil pesto, feta cheese, and garlic.
- Divide the filling between the four chicken breasts.
- Close them up and secure with toothpicks.
- Rub the chicken breasts with the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Transfer to the Air Fryer and cook for 18 to 23 minutes, or until cooked through. Cooking time depends on the size of the chicken breasts. Chicken is done when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F. Use a meat thermometer and start checking for doneness at around the 18-minute mark.
- Remove from the air fryer and let stand for 5 minutes before cutting serving.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
This is so good and really amazing! Everyone at my house enjoyed this meal!
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad everyone loved it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This chicken turned out perfect! Love that filling!
This is really amazing! Packed full of flavors!
Delicious! We loved these and will definitely make them again. This one definitely goes on my favorite list.
Goodnesss! This looks really good!
Looks like the perfect use of air fryer. I know my family will love this!
I love all the delicious flavors that you literally crammed into this chicken breast. I can’t wait to make this!
I love everything about this recipe!! It has so much flavor! It can be paired with just about anything. Great any night of the week!
Seriously the best way to make chicken! Perfect every time!