Asparagus Stuffed Chicken is butterflied chicken breasts loaded with asparagus, mozzarella cheese, and thick-cut bacon, baked to perfection. It is one of the most impressive dishes you can make with very little effort. If you like this, you should also try Bacon and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Chicken: You will need 4 chicken breasts, butterflied.
Asparagus: I always try to get the thick stalk asparagus if I can, but not for this chicken. Smaller asparagus has more flavor and crispiness, and that is perfect for this recipe! No matter the thickness though, I always cut or snap off the woody ends. Those will not soften in the oven (or in any version of asparagus) and you will not be happy when you take a bite into your asparagus and find a chewy tasteless bite.
Mozzarella: Go for fresh mozzarella cheese from the deli. I like to buy mine presliced because slicing mozzarella is not much fun, but you could go with any version. I have even used the ‘mozzarella pearls’ before and it turned out amazing. If you go for the pre-shredded version this will taste and look completely different. These types of mozzarella cheese are considered “low-moisture” which means they dry them out a bit as well as coat them so they don’t stick together. This version will be a little saltier (read preservatives) and a little more “stringy”.
Bacon: I prefer thick-cut bacon for this recipe. However, you could use regular strips of bacon as well. Get it cooked and crumbled ahead of time by baking it in the oven. Cook the bacon on a lined baking sheet for 18-20 minutes at 415°F.
Topping: Place the chicken in your baking dish. Then, top everything with bread crumbs. I like to use seasoned breadcrumbs like Italian or garlic. If you want the outside to get a little more crispy, give it a good spray of cooking spray before you pop it in the oven.
Can I Make Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Ahead of Time?
Sure! To make this dinner even easier, prep it the night before. Stuff the butterflied chicken breasts the day before (but do not brush with the oil mixture). When ready to bake, brush the chicken with the oil mixture and bake.
How to Store Asparagus Stuffed Chicken
If you have leftovers, first, let the stuffed chicken cool to room temperature. Then, store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Asparagus Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
FILLING
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
- 12-16 spears spears, woody ends trimmed
- 3 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
COATING
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs, or garlic seasoned
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking dish or sheet pan with aluminum foil. (You could also use an oven-safe skillet.)
- Wash, dry, and butterfly chicken breasts. To butterfly, place the chicken breast on a chopping board and, with your hand flat on top of it, use a sharp knife to slice into one side of the breast, starting at the thicker end and ending at the thin point. Be careful not to cut all the way through to the other side.
- Open the butterflied chicken breasts. Place mozzarella, 3-4 raw asparagus spears, and ¼ of the crumbled bacon into the fold. You may want to secure the fold with a toothpick.
- In a medium bowl, mix together oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
- Brush both sides of a stuffed chicken breast with the oil mixture, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Top with breadcrumbs.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked (the thickest part of the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F). Serve immediately.
Video
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I’ve made this and it’s amazing.