Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken with Quinoa
A chicken breast sliced open and packed with sautéed mushrooms, wilted spinach, crumbled feta, and red onion. Baked at 190°C until the filling softens through the meat from inside. Quinoa simmers on the stovetop while the oven runs.
43g protein and 648 kcal from seven ingredients in 30 minutes. The stuffed pocket turns a single chicken breast into a full dinner plate — protein from the chicken and quinoa, fats from feta and olive oil, carbs and fiber from the grain.
A chicken breast sliced open and packed with sautéed mushrooms, wilted spinach, crumbled feta, and red onion. Baked at 190°C until the filling softens through the meat from inside. Quinoa simmers on the stovetop while the oven runs.
43g protein and 648 kcal from seven ingredients in 30 minutes. The stuffed pocket turns a single chicken breast into a full dinner plate — protein from the chicken and quinoa, fats from feta and olive oil, carbs and fiber from the grain.
Ingredients
- chicken breast 3 ounces
- red onion 0.25
- mushrooms 4 ounces
- spinach 2 handfuls
- feta cheese, crumbled 1.5 ounces
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- quinoa 3 ounces
Method
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
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Slice the chicken breast horizontally to create a pocket for stuffing. Season the inside of the chicken breast with salt and pepper.
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Finely chop the onion and slice the mushrooms.
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Sauté the onion for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and spinach and cook for another 2 minutes.
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Stuff the chicken breast with the spinach, feta, onion and mushrooms. Close the pocket and secure with toothpicks if needed. Place the stuffed chicken breast on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle the oil over the chicken breast.
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Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
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Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa under cold water and cook it according to the package instructions.
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Once the chicken is done baking, remove the toothpicks if used and serve the chicken with quinoa. Top the dish with any remaining sautéed onion and mushrooms from the stuffing.
Sauté the mushrooms until they release and reabsorb most of their liquid before adding the spinach. Wet mushroom stuffing steams inside the chicken pocket instead of melding with the meat, and the extra moisture can leave the area around the filling rubbery.
Behind this recipe
Is 43g of protein too much for one meal?
No. The commonly repeated 30g-per-meal protein limit is a myth. A systematic review found that muscle protein synthesis responds to doses well above 30g, especially in mixed meals that combine animal protein with plant protein, carbs, fat, and fiber. A plate like this one, with chicken, quinoa, feta, and vegetables, digests slowly enough for the body to use the full protein dose over an extended window.
Read the full evidence reviewCan I use a different cheese instead of feta?
Yes, but the texture changes. Feta softens in the oven without fully melting, so the stuffing keeps distinct pockets of salty, crumbly cheese throughout the filling. Mozzarella or gouda would melt completely and turn the center into a uniform cheese pull. Both work, but feta gives the stuffing more character.
How do I know when the stuffed chicken is cooked through?
The stuffing insulates the center, so a stuffed breast takes longer than a flat one. Use a meat thermometer and check for 74°C (165°F) at the thickest point near the stuffing. Without a thermometer, slice into the thickest part: the meat should be white throughout with clear juices, no pink.
