For busy week nights, Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast with Broccoli and Cheese is so easy to make, with golden crispy breading on the outside and creamy broccoli and cheese filling on the inside.
This easy air fryer stuffed chicken cooks in 15 minutes and ready to serve in less than 30 minutes. It is simple and delicious and it won’t take much of your time to make it.
Food cooks longer in the oven and cooking the same food in the air fryer is quicker like this Air Fryer Frozen Orange Chicken or this Air Fryer Asparagus.
You’ll be amaze how quick this easy chicken recipe cooks in the air fryer. It only requires 2 teaspoons of oil to get the breading crisp while moist and juicy in the inside like this delicious Air Fryer Chicken Tenders.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can cook this stuffed chicken recipe in the oven like this Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast.
I’ll be posting a lot of healthy air fryer recipes in the coming weeks. Don’t we all make it a resolution to eat healthy at the start of the new year. It is so easy to cook healthy foods like vegetables, meat and seafood in an air fryer and easy clean-up too. Maybe we can make it a year long resolution to eat healthy.
It took me a while to get an air fryer because I have a convection oven. This air fryer reminds me of the turbo broiler my mom owned decades ago. It cooked similarly like an air fryer.
For 2-4 people, a 7 quarts air fryer is good enough. I stopped by at Costco to get something and air fryers were on sale. It was a good deal and got the smallest one.
How does an air fryer cook food
An air fryer is like a convention oven, it is equipped with a fan that circulate hot air at high speed to cook food. It is smaller in size and food cooks quicker. It uses less oil but it can crisp and brown food like an oven or a deep fryer but without submerging food in oil.
Before using your air fryer, read the manual. Most air fryers come with a recipe book and they have guidelines for setting temperature and cook time.
From my research, air fryer cooking time vary slightly depending on the brand and model.
I am using a GOURMIA 7-QT/6.7 L Digital Air Fryer.
How to make stuffed chicken breast filled with broccoli and cheese
- Thaw frozen chicken overnight in the fridge.
- Combine bread crumbs and spices in a shallow bowl or plate. You can prepare this ahead of time if you like. Note: You can reserved ⅛ teaspoon of each spice and apply it in the interior of chicken breast before adding the broccoli filling.
- Combine softened cream cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, Fontina cheese (if shredded), mayonnaise and chopped broccoli. I have a big slice of Fontina cheese that I cut into narrow sticks and did not add to the mixture. Note: You can prepare this ahead of time and refrigerate. Also, you can use your favorite cheese that melts easily.
- Make a pocket in the chicken breast. Cut at the rounder edge but not all the way through. If you poke a hole, seal with a toothpick.
- Season the inside of chicken with reserved seasonings. I only seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Divide the broccoli filling and stuff both chicken breast. Seal the opening with ½ toothpick in the middle. Note: Remove the toothpick before serving.
- Brush one side of chicken breast with oil and dip in breading. Brush the other side with oil before flipping and dipping in breading. Gently shake chicken to remove excess breading.
- Place the flat side of breaded chicken breast in air fryer set at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165°F using an instant read thermometer. Flip chicken halfway through cooking and spray lightly with oil. Note: I did not set pre-heat.
- As soon as it is done, remove chicken from air fryer basket. Be careful when you pull the basket since it is hot.
Tips for a perfect air fryer stuffed chicken
- Use a clean air fryer basket free of residue from previous cooking.
- Do not over packed the air fryer basket so chicken cooks evenly. As you can see, two 8 oz boneless chicken breast occupies the whole basket. Note: Cook in batches if your air fryer is small.
- Brush chicken with oil before applying breading. This will help crisp and brown the exterior of chicken.
- Apply breading evenly. Slightly shake chicken to remove excess breading. I have noticed areas with more breading browned quickly.
- Set your air fryer to remind you to flip the chicken. Half way through cooking, flip to the other side then spray it with oil and continue cooking. I sprayed it with olive oil.
Note: My Gourmia manual states, when spraying food for a crispier finish, use regular cooking oil instead of cooking spray, as it can damage the non-stick coating. Also, I used 2 spatula to flip the chicken.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftover in an airtight container up to 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
Can you reheat stuffed chicken in air fryer
With my Gourmia air fryer, they suggest to reheat any food at 300 degrees up to 10 minutes depending on the amount of food. Make sure to do it in time increments. I reheated half of the chicken for 2 minutes. Air fryer was not set to pre-heat.
Can I cook a store-bought frozen stuffed chicken in air fryer
Yes, you can. If chicken is less than 8 oz or smaller, adjust the cooking time.
Note: Please read your manual.
Pair this chicken recipe with salad
Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast with Broccoli and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 (8 ounce each) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons oil
Breading
- ¼ cup bread crumbs or ½ cup
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Stuffed Chicken Filling
- ½ ounce cream cheese softened
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 ounce fontina cheese equivalent of 2 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 ½ cups broccoli florets chopped
Instructions
- Thaw frozen chicken overnight in the fridge.
- Make breading. Combine bread crumbs and spices in a shallow bowl or plate. Note: You can reserve ⅛ teaspoon of each spice and season the inside of chicken breast before adding the broccoli filling.
- Make broccoli cheese filling. Combine softened cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, Fontina cheese, mayonnaise and chopped broccoli. Note: If cheese is not shredded, cut it into narrow sticks and don’t add in the mixture. Instead insert inside chicken breast when you add the filling.
- Make a pocket in the chicken breast. Cut at the rounder edge but not all the way through. Note: If you poke a hole, seal with a toothpick.
- Season the inside of chicken with reserved seasonings, if desired.
- Stuff chicken breast with broccoli filling and seal the opening with ½ toothpick in the middle.
- Brush one side of chicken breast with oil and dip in breading. Brush the other side with oil before flipping and dipping in breading. Gently shake chicken to remove excess breading.
- Place the flat side of breaded chicken breast in air fryer, set at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165°F using an instant read thermometer. Flip chicken halfway through cooking and spray lightly with oil. No need to pre-heat air fryer.
- Remove cooked chicken from air fryer as soon as it is done. Be careful when you pull the basket as steam is released.
- Remove toothpick before serving.
Notes
- Use can use your favorite cheese as long as it melts easily.
- Reheat in the microwave or read your air fryer manual. I use a Gourmia air fryer and manual states to reheat food at 300 degrees F. I set the time at 2 minutes for half a chicken. If you do, set the time in increments.
- Refrigerate leftover up to 3 days in the refrigerator or store in an airtight container or a vacuum food saver up to a month.
Tania
So easy and yummy! Thank you for the recipe.
Fortune
Thanks Tania. Glad you like it!