Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Wrapped in Bacon

close up side shot showing spinach and artichoke filling inside chicken breasts wrapped in bacon on chopping board

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5 from 4 votes

Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Wrapped in Bacon

Juicy chicken breasts wrapped in bacon and stuffed with an irresistible spinach and artichoke filling!

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Western

Servings:

Author: Chris Collins

Cost: £3 / $4

Equipment

Large Baking Dish or Oven-Safe Skillet
Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Medium Sized Mixing Bowl & Spatula
Cheese Grater
Small Pot (for seasoning)
Sieve (for spinach - optional)

Ingredients

Chicken

4 large Chicken Breasts (approx 9-10.5oz / 250-300g EACH)
12-16 slices of Streaky Bacon
1.5 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt

Filling

5oz / 150g Frozen Spinach, thawed (weighed whilst frozen - see notes)
5oz / 150g Artichoke Hearts, roughly diced (weight of DRAINED artichokes - see notes)
3.5oz / 100g Cream Cheese
1/2 cup / 50g EACH: Mozzarella, Cheddar, grated/shredded
1/4 cup / 20g freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup / 60g Sour Cream
1 small clove of Garlic, minced/very finely diced
Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Squeeze as much water out of thawed spinach as possible. I find this easiest by pushing with the back of a spoon in a sieve. Add to a medium-sized mixing bowl with the rest of the 'filling' ingredients and use a spatula to combine. Check for seasoning then rest in the fridge until needed.
In a small pot combine the 'chicken' seasoning and place to one side.
One by one, place your hand on top of a chicken breast and horizontally slice a pocket into the side. Go as wide and deep as you can, without slicing all the way through. I usually slice on the more rounded side, the side without the tender attached. Season both sides with the seasoning mix.
Open up the chicken breasts and spoon in the filling (you may have a little leftover depending on the size of the breasts). Push it right in, then fold over the pocket to cover the filling.
Wrap each breast in 3-4 slices of bacon, then place into a very large cast iron skillet or baking dish. I usually ensure the bacon ends are underneath the chicken, just so it doesn't unravel in the oven. I also try and cover the gap at the side as much as possible, so the filling doesn't leak out too much.
Bake in the oven at 200C/400F for 25mins, or until the chicken is piping hot & white all the way through, with the filling bubbly and seeping out the sides. You can then flick on the grill and broil for a few mins if you want to crisp up the bacon.

Video

Notes

a) Spinach - Frozen spinach is best, it has a slightly more intense flavour than fresh spinach. Plus you skip the step of having to cook and chop the fresh spinach. You can thaw the spinach either in the fridge overnight, or at room temp. Or, you can thaw in the microwave. Make sure you squeeze as much moisture out as possible, or it'll leak in the oven and steam the chicken.

b) Artichokes - I usually go for jarred artichoke hearts in oil, just because they're marinated in a bit more flavour. But you can use artichoke hearts in brine or water.

c) Baking - If you notice a significant amount of water pooling around the chicken as it bakes you can drain it midway or pat with paper towels. It's not a huge deal, it just prevents the bacon on the bottom from crisping up. The water is most likely from the spinach (that's why it's essential to get it all out before adding to the filling), but some brands of bacon have added water.

d) Calories - Per breasts assuming 10.5oz/300g weight and wrapped in 4 slices of bacon.

Nutrition