43g Protein Melty Blackberry Jalapeño Stuffed Chicken Recipe
This 43g Protein Melty Blackberry Jalapeño Stuffed Chicken combines juicy chicken breast with a creamy cottage cheese and mozzarella filling, tart blackberries, and fresh jalapeño. A quick blackberry-balsamic sauce adds a fruity finish that balances the savory cheese and mild heat. It's a flavorful, protein-rich dinner that pairs beautifully with roasted vegetables, salad, or your favorite grain.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces (170 g) each
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
For the filling
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese about 110 g, drained if watery
- ½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella about 56 g
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan about 10 g
- ½ cup fresh blackberries about 70 g, chopped
- 1 small jalapeño finely diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Pinch of black pepper
For the blackberry sauce
- ½ cup fresh or frozen blackberries about 70 g
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey optional
- 1 teaspoon water plus more if needed
- Small pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the chicken breasts dry. In a bowl, combine the cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, chopped blackberries, jalapeño, garlic, lemon zest, and a pinch of black pepper.
- Carefully cut a horizontal pocket into the thickest side of each chicken breast, stopping before cutting through the opposite edge.
- Mix the smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Season the outside of each chicken breast evenly.
- Divide the filling between the four pockets, leaving enough room to close them. Secure the openings with toothpicks if needed.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3–4 minutes on the first side and 2–3 minutes on the second, until golden.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven, or move the chicken to a lightly greased baking dish. Bake for approximately 12–18 minutes, depending on thickness, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- While the chicken bakes, combine the sauce blackberries, balsamic vinegar, optional honey, water, and a small pinch of salt in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 4–6 minutes, gently crushing some of the berries until the sauce thickens. Add a little water if necessary.
- Rest the cooked chicken for 5 minutes. Remove all toothpicks, spoon the blackberry sauce over the breasts or serve it alongside them, and enjoy.