Pimento Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Oh. My. Goodness. This Pimento Cheese Stuffed Chicken is positively swoon-worthy. I’m obsessed! The Cajun panko coating is crunchy with just the right amount of kick, and the warm, creamy pimento cheese oozes out of the chicken with each bite. If you’re unfamiliar with pimento cheese, it’s a Southern classic that mixes cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, pimiento peppers (the ones you may know from being stuffed in green olives), and other seasonings and ingredients depending on who is making it. It’s amazing straight up or as grilled cheese filling, a burger topping, or countless other ways…like stuffed into this chicken!
This Pimento Cheese Stuffed Chicken is very filling (it’s a large serving!) and it pairs perfectly with a vegetable side (like the green beans and almonds pictured here). It comes together quickly and easily and tastes so decadent no one will ever believe it’s only 344 calories or 9 Green, 6 Blue or 6 Purple Weight Watchers SmartPoints! To view your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, click here! This chicken can be an easy weeknight meal or a perfect main course to serve company as it’s sure to impress! The recipe can also be easily halved or doubled, depending on how many you’re serving.
Looking for more ways to make your chicken breasts delicious? Try my Antipasto Chicken Roulades, Cream Cheese Stuffed Everything Chicken, Cheesy Bacon BBQ Chicken, Cheddar Ranch Chicken Tenders, Pesto Chicken Roulades, Lemon Pepper Iced Tea Chicken, Cheesy Chicken and Stuffing, Pizza Chicken Roulades,Thai Chicken Skewers, Chicken Piccata, Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken and many, many more in the chicken section of my recipe index!
Pimento Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise, I used Hellmann’s
- 2 oz shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon diced pimientos, from a jar
- A pinch of garlic powder
- A pinch of onion powder
- 4 (6 oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (24 oz total)
- 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 egg white, beaten
- 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoon canola oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayo, cheddar, pimientos and a sprinkle of garlic powder and onion powder and mix together until well combined.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice the breasts from the side (creating a top and bottom) almost all the way through. Open each breast at the slit and distribute the pimento cheese mixture evenly between the breasts, placing it inside the open chicken. Spread cheese across the surface and close the breast, folding the top half back over the pimento cheese.
- Combine the flour and Cajun seasoning in a small dish and stir together. Place the stuffed breasts in a Ziploc bag and add the Cajun flour mixture. Lightly flip the bag around until chicken is coated with flour. Place the beaten egg white in a shallow dish and the panko crumbs in a second shallow dish. Remove each stuffed breast from the flour bag and dip it in the egg white, turning to coat. Then move the coated breast to the dish of panko crumbs and coat it on all sides.
- In a large skillet, add the oil and bring over medium-high heat. Add the stuffed and coated chicken breasts to the pan and cook for about 1 minute until the bread crumbs on the bottom are golden. Flip the breasts and cook for another minute on the other side. Transfer the breasts to the prepared baking sheet and place in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes until chicken is fully cooked through.
Notes
8 per serving (PP calculated using the a Weight Watchers PointsPlus calculator and the nutrition info below)
Pimento Cheese is sooo delicious, and hugely popular in KY. It’s usually spread on fancy finger sandwiches for showers, etc. What a terrific idea to put it into chicken breasts! This chicken sounds outrageously yummy, so I’ll definitely be making it very soon (and I won’t change a thing). My mouth is watering!
I hope you love it, Angelina! Let me know 🙂
What keeps the cheese from just sort of pouring out of the breasts, since they’re cut almost through? Do they need to have a toothpick or something run through the cut edge to hold everything together?
Love, love pimiento cheese–especially when it has some jalapenos in it! It’s delicious over a hamburger, and makes a wonderful grilled cheese sandwich.
Hi Maggie,
I just made sure I left a little space at the edge of the cut part so that when the filling got melty it had somewhere to go. Once you fold the top of the breast back over the filling it should be fully enclosed (not visible). If the cheese oozes out a little bit that’s okay! Whenever I’ve made it the majority of it stays in there. If you’d like to seal the edges with toothpicks you can certainly do that as well. Hope you enjoy it!
Hi Emily, I just made this and it was very delicious! I secured mine with toothpicks, and I removed the toothpicks when it came time to fry them. A little bit of the filling came out of them once they were in the oven. It was no big deal. Oh, and I brined my breast a few hours before I made them. I always brine white meat, and it makes the meat very juicy and delicious. This will be made again. Thanks again for everything you do 😉
WOW! I replaced the 2% cheddar with full fat Gouda (now that I hit my goal and am on a maintenance plan I can enjoy little indulgences like this), and I was blown away! I am not usually crazy about chicken but this is my new fav Emily Bites recipe (and I’m a huge fan!) Delicious! I did find that it’s not half as good reheated, probably bcuz the cheese doesn’t get as melty, so I suggest adjusting the portions and only making what you need that night.
I’m so glad you loved it!!:)
I made this for supper and my husband and I loved it!! It came out perfect ! I served it with roasted mushroom & green beans drenched in olive oil & balsamic vinegar (also a 1st) .. Perfect supper, thank you
This was so delicious! I skipped the browning in oil step and cooked them in my air fryer on 370 for 25 minutes total (flipped after 15). Will definitely be making them again!!!
I was going to ask if this could be done in the air fryer. Thank you!
WOW. Holy cow. That was delicious!!!
I’ve never seen pimentos up in Canada – could I use red pepper instead?
Diane
Pimentos are actually red peppers that are processed and brined. You could probably just cut a red pepper int a small dice and sauté it. Sorry that it’s already been a year since you posted your question. I’m sure you already figured it out. Hope this helps….
Made this recipe this week and LOVED it! Thank you!
Is the flour necessary? Need it low carb and gluten free. Thanks!
I will give this dish 10 points.
I will give this dish 10 points.
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