Creamy Spinach-Stuffed Chicken with Lemon Rice and Garlic Zucchini

This stuffed chicken recipe takes tender chicken cutlets and fills them with a rich mixture of sautéed spinach, cream cheese, mozzarella and Italian seasoning. After a quick sear to golden perfection, the chicken finishes in the oven while you prepare a bright lemon-mustard pan sauce.

Serve the chicken over fluffy rice infused with lemon zest, alongside garlicky sautéed zucchini. A final squeeze of fresh lemon juice ties everything together for a satisfying, restaurant-quality meal at home.

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Ingredients

unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup White RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce BroccoliView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.5 ounce SpinachView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mozzarella CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Italian SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken CutletsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Dijon MustardView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the middle. In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
2. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise, then slice crosswise into ¼-inch half-moons. Peel and mince garlic. Zest and quarter the lemon.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over high heat. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Heat another drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until browned and tender, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate (reserve pan).
4. To the bowl with spinach, add cream cheese, mozzarella, half the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Holding a knife parallel to the cutting board, carefully cut a horizontal slit into the center of each cutlet, leaving 1 inch intact on the opposite side. Open each cutlet like a book; divide the spinach-cheese mixture between them, then fold closed. Season the outside of the chicken with remaining Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
5. Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack until cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the pan over medium heat. Add stock concentrate, mustard, ¼ cup water and juice from half the lemon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add lemon zest to the pot of rice and fluff with a fork. Divide rice, zucchini and chicken between plates. Top chicken with pan sauce and serve with remaining lemon wedges.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different vegetable instead of zucchini?

Yes, you can substitute zucchini with broccoli, green beans or asparagus. Adjust cooking time as needed.

How do I prevent the chicken from drying out?

Be careful not to overcook the chicken. Use a meat thermometer; it should reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.

Can I prepare the filling ahead of time?

Absolutely. The spinach-cheese mixture can be made up to a day in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.