Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Jump to Video
Whenever I make this recipe it feels like I’m going back to my grandma’s table on a Sunday during summertime. The ricotta and spinach stuffed chicken is an incredibly easy recipe that combines 3 simple ingredients topped with parmesan cheese and broiled in the oven. This recipe is perfect for a fancy dinner or a simple lunch to try on weekends.
This recipe is so versatile and, as most of Italian recipes, can be changed to your taste with different ingredients and will still taste delicious.
In this post I will teach you how to make chicken roll ups with spinach and ricotta step-by-step on video and in writing, so you get the best out of this fabulous classic Italian recipe.
Watch how to make this recipe!
Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 chicken breasts, butterfly opened, seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8oz spinach leaves
- 1 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, or parmesan, grated and divided
- Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup white wine, optional
- ½ cup chicken stock, optional
Cooking Time
- Cooking: 30 minutes
- Preparation: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings
- Up to 2 people
Equipment
Disclosure: This post contain affiliate links, meaning I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through the links on this post, at no cost to you. This supports our site, so thank you! Read our full disclosure.
Instructions
- Bring a large cast-iron skillet or oven-safe pan over medium heat. Once hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and add the spinach. Cook until wilted for about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer to a sieve. With the back of a spoon, carefully press to remove excess water. Chop roughly and reserve.
- Preheat the oven to 392F/200C.
- To a large bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, ½ cup of parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Mix with a spoon until combined.
- Place the chicken breasts into a clean chopping board. Add a spoon of the ricotta and spinach stuffing into each breast. Fold over to close it up using toothpicks. Alternatively, you can roll up tightly with a butcher’s twine. Make sure to close it well to avoid filling leaking.
- Bring a cast iron skillet or any oven-safe pan over medium heat. Once hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and place the chicken breasts. Sear it well on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes each.
- Slowly pour the white wine and cook for 2 more minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Add chicken stock on top of the chicken breasts to moisten if you want.
- Remove from the oven carefully, add the grated cheese on top of each chicken roll up and return to the oven to broil for 5 minutes.
Top Tips
- The wine and chicken stock are optionals, you can use one or another, or both. It brings complexity of flavours and moisten the chicken.
- You can substitute the parmigiano cheese for any hard or melting cheese of your choice. Avoid strong-flavoured cheeses like gorgonzola and provolone.
Side Dishes
- Serve this recipe with simple pastas, salads, rice and risotto.
Storage
- Keep the ricotta stuffed chicken leftovers an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I make this recipe with other chicken parts?
Sure you can! You also can substitute for:
- Chicken thighs (boneless)
- Turkey breasts
- Turkey thighs (boneless)
The cooking process will be exactly the same. Just bear in mind that turkey meat can often dry out fast during cooking, in this case, you can add ¼ cup chicken stock to the pan while baking the roll ups.
Want to boost this recipe even more and make it outrageously delicious? Try these two variations:
Stuffed chicken breast wrapped in bacon
- Roll over bacon strips over the stuffed chicken breast and make sure to hold it with the toothpick. Follow the remaining steps on the recipe.
Chicken breast stuffed with ricotta and spinach wrapped in prosciutto
- Roll over prosciutto slices over the stuffed chicken breast and make sure to hold it with the toothpick. Follow the remaining steps on the recipe.
Follow Little Pans on Instagram to learn more delicious Italian recipes.
Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Equipment
- Oven-safe cast iron skillet
- Toothpicks
- Sieve
- Kitchen tongues
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 chicken breasts butterfly opened
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 8 oz spinach leaves
- 1 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese or parmesan grated and divided
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ cup white wine optional
- ½ cup chicken stock optional
Instructions
- Bring a large saute pan over medium heat. Once hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and add the spinach. Cook until wilten for about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer to a sieve. With the back of a spoon, carefully press to remove excess of water. Chop roughly and reserve.
- Preheat the oven to 392F/200C.
- To a large bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, ½ cup of parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Mix with a spoon ultil combined.
- Place the chicken breasts into a clean chopping board. Add a spoon of the ricotta and spinach stuffing into each breast. Fold over to close it up using toothpicks. Alternatively, you can roll up tightly with a butcher's twine. Make sure to close it well to avoid filling leaking.
- Bring a cast iron skillet or any oven-safe pan over medium heat. Once hor, add a drizzle of olive oil and place the chicken breasts. Sear it well on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes each.
- Slowly pour the white wine and cook for 2 more minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Add chicken stock on top of the chicken breasts to moisten if you want.
- Remove from the oven carefully, add the grated cheese on top of each chicken roll up and return to the oven to broil for 5 minutes.
Video
Notes
- The wine and chicken stock are optionals, you can use one or another, or both. It brings complexity of flavours and moisten the chicken.
- You can substitute the parmigiano cheese for any hard or melting cheese of your choice. Avoid strong-flavoured cheeses like gorgonzola and provolone.
The ricotta was lovely and really creamy!
I loved these! I especially liked the flavor the wine added to them!
I haven’t made stuffed chicken breasts before and your instructions make this recipe easy to do. The ricotta and spinach are such a great filling.
Oh my, these ricotta spinach stuffed chicken looks delicious and so healthy! I have a ton of spinach in my fridge that I need to use up and now I have a great recipe for it. Thanks for the idea!
This stuffed chicken recipe looks delicious. I love ricotta and can’t wait to use it in this recipe. Thank you.
These stuffed chicken breasts were absolutely fabulous! I followed your directions precisely and the result was perfectly cooked chicken – juicy and tender on the inside with a delicious Parmesan crust. For those that would consider skipping the wine, don’t! It really brings balance to the dish.