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    🏠Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

    Garlic Butter Stuffed Chicken Breast

    Sep 1, 2019 · Modified: Jan 8, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 21 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    3.84 from 43 votes

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

    chicken breast on white plate
    Jump To:
    • 👨‍🍳How to make garlic butter stuffed chicken breasts
    • 🐓The Chicken
    • 👨‍🍳The Seasoning
    • ❓FAQs
    • 📖Split Chicken Breast Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📝Recipe
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Split chicken breasts are a great everyday meal but can suffefromby 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 so. 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) with excellent moisture and tenderness.

    👨‍🍳How to make garlic butter stuffed chicken breasts

    1. Preheat oven to 375° convection or 400° conventional oven.
    2. Trim split chicken breasts of any extra fat and trim off the rib section if desired. —pat dry.
    3. Crush cloves of garlic and cook for 2 minutes in olive oil.
    4. Soften butter in a microwave and mix in the cooked garlic.
    5. Prep a baking pan with aluminum foil and a baking rack sprayed with PAM.
    6. Make the pocket on the side of the chicken breasts.
    7. Add part of the garlic butter mixture to the pockets.
    8. Brush the remaining garlic butter mixture on the skin of the breasts.
    9. Season the top with 7:2:2 seasoning, which has garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Just salt and black pepper or your preferred session are fine.
    10. Bake until internal temp of 165°. It takes about 45 minutes, depending on the size of the breast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

    🐓The Chicken

    This recipe uses split chicken breasts, also known as skin-on bone-in chicken breasts. Most feel they have more taste and moisture than the more popular skinless version. But neither excels 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 about the same size.

    This was moister than the 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 has salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can use the season of your choice.

    ❓FAQs

    Why are skin-on bone-in chicken breasts called split chicken breasts?

    They are called split chicken breasts because, during processing, the entire breast is removed with some ribs. It is then "split" down the middle of the breast bone to produce two pieces.

    Should the rib section be removed from split chicken breasts?

    For most recipes, including this one, it does not need to be removed. But since it contains very little meat, is thin so it tends to overcook and makes the breasts harder to handle and serve. I usually do remove them.

    To remove the rib section, use a sharp, heavy knife and just cut it off.

    What is the safe internal temperature for split chicken breasts?

    All chicken, including split chicken breasts, need to reach 165° internal temperature to be safe to serve. You must use an instant-read thermometer and not guess.

    📖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
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️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 it with aluminum foil and a baking rack sprayed with PAM. You may cook without a rack if you don't have one.

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

    1) On 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, 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 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 43 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
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    Instructions

    • 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.
      trimmed chicken breast on black board
    • 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.
      cooking garlic in fry pan
    • Place 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl and microwave for 10 seconds to soften. Add the cooked garlic.
      mix butter and garlic
    • Prep a baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and a baking rack sprayed with PAM. You may cook without a rack if you don't have one.
      Spraying PAM on a tray with a rack
    • 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.
      stuffing chicken breast
    • 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.
      sprinkle chicken with seasoning
    • Bake until and internal temp of 165°. About 45 minutes, depending on the size of the breast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
      brownd chicken breast on rack
    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.

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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

    Nutrition Facts
    Garlic Butter Stuffed Chicken Breast
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 431 Calories from Fat 270
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 30g46%
    Saturated Fat 12g60%
    Cholesterol 146mg49%
    Sodium 1377mg57%
    Potassium 398mg11%
    Carbohydrates 1g0%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 38g76%
    Vitamin A 500IU10%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 20mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    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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    More Chicken Recipes

    • Grilled Whole Chicken without Spatchcocking
    • Super Moist Grilled Reversed Seared Chicken Breast with Marinade
    • Extra Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
    • Baked Split Chicken Breasts (Bone-in)

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    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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