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    🏠Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

    Garlic Butter Stuffed Chicken Breast

    Sep 1, 2019 | Last Updated Apr 15, 2021 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    3.84 from 42 votes

    A wonderful crispy roasted chicken breast that is moist and bursting with flavor. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.

    chicken breast on white plate

    Table of Contents
    • 🐓The Chicken
    • 👨‍🍳The Seasoning
    • 📖Split Chicken Breast Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📖Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Introduction

    Split chicken breasts are a great everyday meal but can suffer by a lack of taste and are a bit dry at times. Let's fix that.

    Combine some fresh garlic with butter, put it in the middle of a chicken breast, and brush the skin with it also. Cover with a healthy dose of my 7:2:2 spice mix and bake until crispy.

    With the butter, I feel like Paula Deen. Very yummy ( I swore I would never use that word, but I quoted my wife).

    My Rating:

    My rating system. Great 5 out of 5

    A 5 from my wife (the garlic queen.) There was great moisture and tenderness. I'm at a high 4 or low 5.

    🐓The Chicken

    This recipe uses split chicken breasts which are also known as skin-on bone-in chicken breast. Most feel they have a bit more taste and moisture than the more popular skinless version. But neither excel in these categories.

    But they have become progressively bigger over the last few decades. They are now too big for a reasonable serving size.

    The main secret to this recipe is to use smaller breasts and try to cook breasts that are about the same size.

    This was moister than breasts I have brined, so I do not include a brine option.

    👨‍🍳The Seasoning

    For the garlic butter, I prefer to use salted butter, not unsalted. Think of it as an internal brining.

    The garlic needs to be "bloomed" a bit before using it, or you will have a bit of a raw garlic taste.

    I'm using my All Purpose Seasoning 7:2:1 and 7:2:2 which comes salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can just use the season of your choice.

    📖Split Chicken Breast Recipes

    Crispy Baked Split Chicken Breasts

    Oven Baked Mayonnaise Parmesan Split Chicken Breasts

    Garlic Chicken with Herbs de Provence

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Chicken Recipes
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    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    trimmed chicken breast on black board

    Preheat oven to 375° convection or 400° conventional oven. Trim two split chicken breasts of any extra fat and trim off the rib section if you desire. Pat dry.

    cooking garlic in fry pan

    Crush two large cloves of garlic and crush. In a small pan, add one tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add garlic and cook until starting to clear — about 2 minutes.

    mix butter and garlic

    Place 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl and microwave for 10 seconds to soften. Add the cooked garlic.

    spraying rack on tray with PAM

    Prep a baking pan by lining with aluminum foil and a baking rack sprayed with PAM. You may cook without a rack of you don't have one.

    stuffing chicken breast-cutting a slit, expanding the pocket and adding the stuffing

    1) In the thicker side of the chicken breast, cut a 1-inch slot

    2) With your finger create a pocket inside the breast without causing another hole.

    3) Reserve about a teaspoon of the butter/garlic mixture and then add ½ of the remaining mixture to each pocket and spread it around the pocket.

    sprinkle chicken with seasoning

    Brush the remaining butter mixture on the skin of the breast. Season the top with 7:2:2 seasoning. If you don't have that, then a sprinkle of garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

    brownd chicken breast on rack

    Bake until internal temp of 165. About 45 minutes, depending on the size of the breast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

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    📖Recipe

    chicken breast on white plate

    Garlic Butter Stuffed Chicken Breast

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    A wonderful crispy roasted chicken breast that is moist and bursting with flavor. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    3.84 from 42 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 2 servings

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 2 split chicken breast with ribs removed
    • 1 cloves garlic
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • to taste 7:2:1 or 7:2:2 seasoning

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees convection or 400 conventional oven. Trim two split chicken breast of any extra fat and trim off rib section if you desire. Pat dry.
    • Crush two large cloves of garlic and crush. In a small pan, add one tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add garlic and cook until starting to clear — about 2 minutes.
    • Place 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl and microwave for 10 seconds to soften. Add the cooked garlic.
    • Prep a baking pan by lining with aluminum foil and a baking rack sprayed with PAM. You may cook without a rack of you don't have one.
    • Make the pocket:
      1) In the thicker side of the chicken breast, cut a 1-inch slot
      2) With your finger create a pocket inside the breast without causing another hole.
      3) Reserve about a teaspoon of the butter/garlic mixture and then add ½ of the remaining mixture to each pocket and spread it around the pocket.
    • Brush the remaining butter mixture on the skin of the breast. Season the top with 7:2:2 seasoning. If you don't have that, then a sprinkle of garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
    • Bake until internal temp of 165. About 45 minutes, depending on the size of the breast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    My Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips;

    1. An easy recipe to scale up or down. If cooking more than two, arrange on the tray with the thicker end towards the outside.
    2. The main secret to this recipe is to use smaller breasts and try to cook breasts that are about the same size.
    3. I prefer to use salted butter.
    4. A rack is not required but recommended
    5. The garlic needs to be "bloomed" a bit before using it, or you will have a bit of a raw garlic taste.
    6. If browning too much towards the end of cooking, tent lightly with foil like you would a turkey.
    7. Good refigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Calories : 431 kcal (22%) | Carbohydrates : 1 g | Protein : 38 g (76%) | Fat : 30 g (46%) | Saturated Fat : 12 g (60%) | Cholesterol : 146 mg (49%) | Sodium : 1377 mg (57%) | Potassium : 398 mg (11%) | Sugar : 1 g (1%) | Vitamin A : 500 IU (10%) | Vitamin C : 1 mg (1%) | Calcium : 20 mg (2%) | Iron : 1 mg (6%)
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.


    Originally Published: October 15, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Beda Stoner

      September 01, 2019 at 11:18 pm

      What is 7-2-2 seasoning?

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        September 01, 2019 at 11:23 pm

        Hi Beda,

        Welcome to the blog.

        I have it linked in the post and recipe card but it is easy to miss. It is a mix of 7 parts kosher salt to 2 parts pepper to 2 parts granular garlic powder. Here is the link. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/everyday-spice-mix-721-mix/

        Dan

    2. Nate M

      January 28, 2019 at 12:35 pm

      I paired this recipe with rice pilaf and steamed broccoli. Roasted brusselsprouts would be a good pairing too.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 28, 2019 at 11:31 pm

        Hi Nate,
        Welcome to the blog.
        All that sounds great.
        Thanks for the note.
        Dan

    3. Keri Vitagliano

      July 22, 2018 at 11:32 pm

      3rd time and amazing every time, just as it is. However, I had some leftover herbs from a bread I was making and threw some of those in the butter. Din't hurt!

      Reply
    4. Kim Quinn

      June 15, 2018 at 8:56 am

      About 'cooking out the raw garlic taste'. When I shop I try to buy 5 or 6 heads of really nice, large clove heads. When I get home I immediately take 2 whole heads, place them on foil, drizzle with olive oil, close tight and roast about 40-50 minutes at 400F. Till it feels tender. When ready, slice off thin cut across bottom and squeeze the garlic out into a cereal bowl. Mash with a fork and top with a drizzle of olive oil and cover with plastic. Use when you want a yummy, gentle, garlic flavor. OR, slice a baguette, smear with really great butter and swipe of the garlic. Follow with a sip of cabernet sauvengion (please forgive spelling). Enjoy!!!

      Reply
    5. Lauren

      January 08, 2017 at 7:25 pm

      Tried this tonight and it was absolutely delightful!!! The family LOVED IT!!

      Reply
    6. DrDan

      September 26, 2016 at 8:25 am

      Hi Lanae,
      I try to cook the garlic a tad in recipes like this. It prevents that "raw" garlic taste. The main thing I liked about this recipe was the moisture.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

      Reply
    7. Lanae

      September 26, 2016 at 6:20 am

      Nice recipe. I use something similar when making a whole roast chicken. Cooking the garlic first was a nice touch, though. I did the pocket but also covered the chicken in the butter and garlic then sprinkled with the 7:2:2 mixture and baked. I thought the chicken turned out very moist, juicy, and flavorful.

      Reply
    8. Coco

      April 17, 2016 at 1:29 pm

      Thanks for the yummy-sounding recipe! I cannot wait to try it tonight. How do you keep the butter from leaking out?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        April 17, 2016 at 2:38 pm

        As long as you make the cut only about 1 inch on the side and a good size pocket it will not leak much. If you are concerned then pin it with a tooth pick.
        DrDan

    9. Kathy

      March 23, 2016 at 1:48 pm

      If I add baking powder will it make the skin crispier & if so how would I do it?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        March 23, 2016 at 3:36 pm

        Yes to some extent. Please see my post at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-baked-crispy-garlic-split-chicken/
        DrDan

    10. DrDan

      September 30, 2014 at 10:20 pm

      Thanks so much... It is so moist and does have good flavor but it is filled with butter.
      Thanks again for the note and rating.
      DrDan

      Reply
    11. Paula Burger

      September 30, 2014 at 7:15 pm

      5 stars
      Can't tell you how awesome this recipe was! I have tried SO many baked chicken recipes, even from the Food TV chefs, and Bon Appetit and Epicurious, yours is by far the best! Thanks so much, can't wait to try your other recipes!

      Reply
    12. Penny

      September 10, 2013 at 5:31 pm

      What is a good side for this chicken? Sorry, I'm still on Learning How Cook 101 :(

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell

        September 10, 2013 at 7:16 pm

        I call the smooth side that was under the skin as the "good" side.

      • Diana

        November 04, 2015 at 4:38 pm

        Haha, I'm thinking she meant side dish. I could be wrong thou :)

    13. Dr Dan

      April 20, 2012 at 6:00 am

      400 degrees in convection mode, do not convert. If you don't have convection mode then about 425.

      Reply
    14. ezckimo

      April 19, 2012 at 5:54 pm

      What does 400° convection mean? Just convection mode + 400° or converted to convection mode+ 375°?

      Reply
    15. Chris

      October 21, 2011 at 7:27 pm

      It still sounds good to me, even if the garlic on the inside was underwhelming.

      Reply

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