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Cheesy Garlic Butter Mushroom Stuffed Chicken

Cheesy garlic butter mushroom stuffed chicken with a golden sear and a molten cheese-mushroom filling that steams as soon as you slice it. Butter-sautéed mushrooms, garlic, thyme, mozzarella, and Parmesan are stuffed into chicken pockets, then baked until juicy and tender.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
rest 5 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 toothpicks for securing
  • 1 extra garlic butter for drizzling
Mushroom filling
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the mushroom cheese filling
  1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the finely diced cremini mushrooms and cook 5-6 minutes until all moisture has evaporated, scraping as needed. When the pan looks dry and the mushrooms have shrunk, proceed.
  2. Add the minced garlic and fresh thyme leaves, then cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir constantly so the garlic doesn’t brown.
  3. Cool the mushroom mixture slightly, then stir in the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan until fully combined and glossy.
Prepare and stuff the chicken
  1. Cut a deep pocket in each chicken breast, slicing from the side without cutting through, then season inside and out with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Make sure the seasoning is evenly spread, including in the pockets.
  2. Fill each pocket with the mushroom-cheese mixture and secure with toothpicks so the filling stays in place during searing and baking.
Sear and bake
  1. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the stuffed chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and deeply caramelized. The surface should look browned and set, not pale.
  2. Bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. If you see excess browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
  3. Remove the toothpicks, drizzle with extra garlic butter, and rest 5 minutes before slicing. Resting helps the molten filling settle so it stays creamy and steaming when cut.

Notes

Pro tip: ensure the mushroom mixture is truly dry before adding cheese—this prevents watery filling when you bake. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a 300°F oven until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the cheese-filled pocket can become grainy after thawing. For a lower-fat swap, use part-skim mozzarella and reduced-fat Parmesan while keeping the same cooking times for the mushrooms.