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GET IT NOWThis Is My Favorite Chicken And Asparagus Recipe For Spring
This asparagus stuffed chicken breast is just what I want from an easy chicken dinner in the spring. Here’s why:
- Juicy, cheesy, and fresh at the same time – Think tender chicken stuffed with tender asparagus and melty cheese, with a golden brown finish. While my spinach stuffed chicken and broccoli stuffed chicken are more creamy and rich, stuffing chicken with asparagus is light and bright. Perfect for spring!
- Just a few simple ingredients – Even though my asparagus stuffed chicken breast looks and tastes like something from a fancy restaurant, you only need basic staples to make it.
- Easy weeknight dinner – Quick prep, a fast sear, and a short bake time mean you’ll have dinner ready in half an hour. And with both protein and veggies, I’ve even had this as a light meal all by itself.
If you’re hooked on chicken and asparagus recipes this time of year like I am, make this one with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my asparagus stuffed chicken breast recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken – I recommend boneless skinless chicken breast to stuff easily. If you want to use boneless chicken thighs, they’ll be hard to wrap around, but you could layer the asparagus and cheese between two of them.
- Asparagus – The thickness of your spears will affect how crisp they turn out. Choose thin ones if you want them softer, or thick ones if you want them to stay more crisp. You’ll probably have extra, so use it to make my parmesan asparagus, bacon wrapped asparagus, or simple roasted asparagus!
- Cheese – I used provolone, my daughter’s current favorite. Any sliced cheese that melts well is great, like Havarti, Monterey jack, fontina, or mozzarella cheese. Shredded cheese (I recommend 1-2 ounces per chicken breast) works, too.
- Olive Oil & Lemon Juice – For flavor, plus the lemon juice tenderizes the chicken. Feel free to use avocado oil instead of olive oil.
- Garlic – I always choose fresh for the best flavor, but 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic will work. You can also just season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Spices – You really only need salt and pepper, but I like to add smoked paprika as well. Feel free to add other seasonings, such as onion powder or a pinch of cayenne.
How To Make Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Brine the chicken. Place the chicken in a bowl of warm, salted water and let it brine while you preheat the oven. Once done, rinse off any excess salt and pat dry.
- Butterfly the chicken. Slice each breast in half horizontally, but don’t cut all the way through. Open it like a book and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet.
- Season. Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice, and brush over the chicken. (I like these silicone brushes — they never shed bristles.) Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Stuff and roll. Spread the garlic down the center, Layer 2 slices of provolone and a few asparagus spears. Roll up the chicken with the asparagus and cheese inside. Brush the asparagus tips with leftover oil mix. If you like, sprinkle with smoked paprika.
- Sear until golden. Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown. (It won’t be cooked through yet.)
- Bake until juicy and melty. Transfer the asparagus stuffed chicken breast to the preheated oven, until cooked through. Remove it from the pan and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. I like to garnish with fresh parsley.
My Recipe Tips
- How long to brine, and is it required? It’s not required, but even 10-20 minutes helps make your chicken more juicy — see my baked chicken breast for more explanation. You can brine in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Feel free to skip this step if you’re short on time, though.
- Don’t have a meat mallet? I use the flat side of a meat mallet like this, but a rolling pin works, too. You can also just cut pockets in the chicken breasts instead, but I find that pounding and rolling keeps the filling inside better. If you cut pockets, you’ll need toothpicks to hold them closed.
- Can you use only the stove or only the oven? Yes, you can! Feel free to keep searing on the stove without the oven step, or just bake in the oven — which is actually how I first made this chicken asparagus recipe. Now I always do the stove followed by the oven. It stays juicier than the stovetop alone, without giving up the golden sear (the oven alone won’t do it).
- Don’t move the chicken around when searing. You get a nicer golden crust if you keep it one spot, except to flip.
- Chicken breasts should hit 165 degrees F, but with asparagus stuffed chicken it’s super important that you’re checking the chicken itself and not the filling inside. I use this probe thermometer to alert me when it’s ready, but a regular one works, too. Sometimes I remove them around 162-163 degrees F, because the temperature rises a few degrees while resting.
- Want extra flavor? Add a few sun-dried tomatoes over the asparagus before rolling, or drizzle the finished dish with my quick blender hollandaise sauce.
Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast
Make my juicy, golden asparagus stuffed chicken breast recipe with melty cheese and garlic in just 30 minutes. An easy, healthy dinner!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Place the chicken breasts into a large bowl. Fill with warm water and add a couple tablespoons of salt. Stir to dissolve. Set aside to brine for 10-20 minutes, or in the fridge overnight.
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Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). When the chicken breasts are done brining, remove from the bowl, rinse under cool water to remove excess salt, and pat dry.
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Butterfly each chicken breast: Cut horizontally without cutting all the way through, then "open" it up so that it lays flat and is thinner. Use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound into a circle, 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
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In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil and the lemon juice. Brush one side of the chicken with the mixture, then season with salt and pepper. Flip over and repeat on the other side.
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Spread the minced garlic down the center of each piece of chicken. Top with 2 slices of provolone, then 3 trimmed spears of asparagus.
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Roll up the chicken, with the asparagus and cheese inside. Repeat with all the pieces. Brush the tips of the asparagus sticking out with any leftover oil/lemon juice mixture. If you like, sprinkle the chicken with smoked paprika.
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Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear for 3-5 minutes per side, until both sides are golden brown.
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Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 asparagus stuffed chicken breast
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get a perfect golden outside with a juicy inside, notes on brining (or if you want to skip it), alternatives for a meat mallet, options to use only the stove or oven (instead of both), and optional flavor boosters.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Meal prep: Do everything except baking, then refrigerate. When you’re ready, brush with more lemon juice and olive oil, then cook.
- Reheat: You can reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F, but I prefer my air fryer for a couple minutes. I don’t recommend the microwave for this chicken recipe — it will turn out dry.
- Freeze: Store the asparagus stuffed chicken in a zip lock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The asparagus does get more mushy, though. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Spring Ebook Bundle and my Healthy Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast
Serving Ideas
I find this asparagus stuffed chicken breast pretty filling on its own, but if you want to round it out, here are some easy side dishes I pair with it:
- Salad – I plated the chicken with butter lettuce, cucumbers, and radishes in my pictures here and drizzled my sugar-free salad dressing on top. It would also pair well with my spring salad, creamy cucumber salad, or Israeli salad.
- Vegetables – Asparagus stuffed chicken can only reasonably fit a few asparagus spears, so if you want extra veggies, roast other vegetables to go with it.
- Starches – My family’s go-to are air fryer potatoes. Try them and you’ll get it.
29 Comments
Darlene Morgan
0I have not made this recipe yet, slow down and breathe as I am combining my 27th recipe tablet with recipes. I love asparagus and can’t wait to prepare this. You mentioned 1/4 cup of oil in your ingredients and only using 4 tablespoon full?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Darlene, 1/4 cup is equal to 4 tablespoons. Hope this helps to clarify. Please let me know how you like the recipe when you make it!
Lei Sobalvarro
0I made these chicken breast with mozzarella instead of provolone. They came out delicious. The only thing is next time. I won’t brine them because my husband and I felt that they were a little bit too salty other than that they were excellent definitely will make them again. Thank you for the recipe, Maya
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for the feedback, Lei! Make sure to rinse the chicken after brining to make sure it’s not too salty. I’m glad you liked it otherwise and hope you make it again soon.
Judene Haak
0These chicken breasts turned out so delicious! I had shredded mozzarella cheese so I used that instead which worked fine. Thanks for the brine tip and other tips. My husband thought it was a fancy dish & said he’d like me to make them again. Ha! I get bored making the same recipes so it was nice finding a different twist for chicken breasts. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked these, Judene! I’m glad you found the tips helpful.
Beth Lentz
0Very quick and easy to make. I substituted cheddar cheese instead of using provolone. Delicious.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Beth! Enjoy.
Vicki
0Can I make this in an Air Fryer?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Vicki, I am certain that you can, but I haven’t tested this particular one in an air fryer. I would start with the time from my air fryer chicken breast recipe and then check the internal temperature to see if it needs more time.
Jeannette
0This is absolutely delicious! Will make it for guests and us again of course.
Jeannette
0I just made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I forgot that I was supposed to take a picture. But this is going in my own recipe book with 5 stars. I was a little nervous when I started but everything went very smooth from the brine to the creation to the frying then in the oven. Hubby was even excited about the taste. Definitely gonna be a monthly regular in our house. (I may even invite guests next time.)
Tammy
0Love this recipe and I make it all the time! ?
Ann
0I made this recipe, and it is delicious. Even better yet, with the instructions given, it’s very easy to make. The total time it took me to make it was 29 minutes! Very well worth trying, it’s in our favorite recipes section!
Sharon
0This was so quick and tasty and it looked pretty special too! My hubby was most impressed.
Ruth
0This recipe, it’s just great! I’ve done it many times by now it’s just delicious. Left over’s are just delicious too, simply reheated. Thank you!
Krystal Ruhl
0Was a hit with the hubby and all 3 kiddos! (Ages 2-9). Sprinkled the smoked paprika on afterwards, just in case, and they all loved it better than just S&P
Natalie
0Wow, this meal is perfect!! It’s your side & main dish all in one! It’s incredibly tasty!
Sharon Karl
0This recipe is so good. I’m definitely making this again.
Sandy Ortiz
0I was just thinking about maybe making this recipe with very thin steak because my husband doesn’t like chicken very much what do you think?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sandy, Sure! I think that would work well.
Bonn
0Hi! I am perusing your recipes to figure out what to make tomorrow night. My first instict was to make the bacon and mayonnaise wrapped chicken breast as that sounds so delish! Now I read this recipe and don’t know which one to make…
Have you ever tried taking this recipe and dipping in the mayo and bacon bits? Just a thought. May have to try and let you know what happens. Best of both worlds!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Bonn, Sounds like a fun experiment! Please let us know how it turns out.
Kenny
0I made these at the weekend and they made a tasty light lunch. Your tip to soak the chicken in brine beforehand makes all the difference – it makes chicken so succulent and delicious! I shall be doing that from now on, thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Kenny! Thanks for stopping by!
Baxter@Foodtalko
0Made this for dinner last night. So good! Thanks for the recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Baxter!
Kim
0Love this recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Kim!