Looking to impress your special someone or treat yourself to a cozy night in with a touch of elegance? This Ruth’s Chris-inspired stuffed chicken breast is the perfect answer! Juicy chicken packed with a creamy, cheesy filling and savory herbs is the ultimate recipe for turning an ordinary dinner into a memorable dining experience. It’s easy enough to whip up on a weeknight yet fancy enough to make you feel like a top chef. Ready to make your next dinner one to remember? Grab the recipe below and let’s get started!
Have you ever eaten at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse? It’s a steakhouse restaurant that started in New Orleans but now has over 145 locations worldwide. More than anything, it is known worldwide for its steaks, served on sizzling platters.
All of their menu items are top-notch, but there’s something extra special about their cheese stuffed chicken breast. The seasonings they use are nothing short of perfection, and the poultry is unbelievably juicy and succulent!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Less expensive than dining out.
Although their food is amazing, you definitely pay top dollar for it. The cost of meat is at an all-time high right now, but there’s no reason to miss out on your favorite restaurant dishes! - Quick to make.
Our dinner version has the same classic flavors as Ruth’s Chris stuffed chicken, and it can be on your table in 45 minutes. - Impressive looking, but easy recipe.
As part of this recipe, we’ll explain how to butterfly chicken breasts. The process sounds fancy and impressive to family and friends, but honestly, it’s just a way of creating a pocket for the fillings.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – At the Ruth’s Chris restaurant, they actually serve a double breast. In other words, it’s both breast pieces, still connected.
To make things easier, and for smaller portion sizes, we butterfly each breast for this poultry recipe. Don’t worry; further down in this post, we’ll walk you through exactly how to butterfly chicken breast. - Cheese filling – Our filling includes cream cheese, shredded Parmesan cheese, garlic, and basic herbs.
Recipe notes: There are other versions of this Ruth Chris copycat chicken recipe around the Internet. Some of them season with dry ranch powder, but the restaurant website doesn’t mention that ingredient. Instead, it mentions that their stuffed chicken is filled with garlic herb cheese.
We think the flavors we use for our version match the restaurant’s dish perfectly!
How to Butterfly Chicken Breast
- Place your boneless skinless breast on a cutting board.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
To prevent the board from slipping, place a damp kitchen towel under it.
- Use a sharp knife to cut into the breasts horizontally, stopping when the knife reaches about 7/8ths of the way through the meat.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Do not cut completely through to the other side! If you do, your herb cheese filling will fall out.
To prevent the breast from sliding around on the cutting board, lay the palm of your hand on top of it.
Be very careful that you don’t accidentally cut your hand with the knife as it slides underneath.
- Now, open both of the cut sides, like you’re opening a book. If you are successful, the shape will look a little bit like a butterfly.
**FYI, this is where the cooking term “butterflying” comes from!
Tips for How to Make Ruth Chris Stuffed Chicken
- Make the meal ahead, to save time!
This recipe can be prepped ahead of time for easier meal prep later.
After you add the filling, wrap the breast pieces tightly in plastic wrap. Store them in the refrigerator, and you can keep them there for up to 2 days before cooking.
- Use your oven’s “roast” or “convection cooking” setting.
If your oven has a roast or convection roast mode, we highly recommend using it. Use 400ºF for convection roasting.
- Avoid over stuffing.
Keep in mind that you’ll be folding the breasts in half to hold the filling in. If you use too much herb cheese mixture, when the cheeses melt, they will ooze out.
If you need them, toothpicks do a great job of holding the pockets closed.
- Baste your stuffed poultry breasts with the herb butter before baking.
- Baste again after 20 minutes, and check the internal temp.
After 20 minutes of roasting time, baste the tops of each breast with the buttery drippings from the pan. It helps to brown the tops perfectly.
Serving Suggestions
Technically, this is a fancy restaurant meal, so we suggest serving it with side dishes that you might find at a quality steakhouse.
The dish pairs perfectly with a mountain of how to make mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot. We usually serve it with a green salad and asparagus, but Instant Pot green beans are another great option.
For a little extra indulgence, serve it with a side of baked mac and cheese white cheddar! If you have leftovers, use them for chicken and rice bowls recipes!
This recipe is also perfect for your next dinner date, along with our Valentine’s recipes.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, stuffing helps poultry retain more moisture than an unstuffed one. Plus, the filling adds more flavor, too.
You can use toothpicks or small skewers to hold the pocket closed during baking. This way, all of the filling will stay inside of the breast.
Fridge. Any leftovers will be kept for up to 4 days if refrigerated in an airtight container.
Freezer. After roasting, let the poultry cook. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Once frozen, they should keep for up to 3 months.
Before reheating, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating: To reheat, place them on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Cook in a preheated 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until an instant-read digital thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the breast reaches 165°F.
Consider These Easy Dinner Recipes…
If you tried this Ruth Chris stuffed chicken recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Ruth Chris Stuffed Chicken (Copycat)
Equipment
- small bowl - for mixing stuffing
- shallow glass dish
- basting brush
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts *See notes below
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder or granulate
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ lemon zested and juiced, separately
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Butterfly the breasts by cut them lengthwise 3/4 of the way through (see post for step-by-step photos and directions). Start at the tip and be sure to keep the knife level while slicing through the chicken breast. Do not cut completely through to the other side, otherwise the filling will fall out during baking.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cheese filling: cream cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, onion, salt, thyme, and lemon juice.
- Stuff each butterflied breast with half of the stuffing mixture leaving a 1/2" margin along the outer edge. Sprinkle the filling with fresh parsley.
- Prepare a baking sheet or casserole dish by lining it with parchment paper or spraying it with cooking oil. Place the stuffed chicken breasts on the baking sheet.
- Mix together the melted butter and lemon zest. Brush the tops with melted butter mixture.
- Bake at 425ºF for 30 minutes. After 20 minutes, use a digital instant read thermometer to check the temperature, then baste the tops to help them brown better. Chicken is done when the internal temperature in the center of the thickest portion is at least 165ºF.
- Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut each breast in half crosswise for serving. Serve with your favorite sides.
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Notes
- Does stuffing a chicken keep it moist? Yes, stuffing helps poultry retain more moisture than an unstuffed one. Plus, the filling adds more flavor, too.
- How do you keep butterflied chicken breast closed? You can use toothpicks or small skewers to hold the pocket closed during baking. This way, all of the filling will stay inside of the breast.
- How do I store and reheat this chicken?
Fridge. Any leftovers will be kept for up to 4 days if refrigerated in an airtight container.
Freezer. After roasting, let the poultry cook. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Once frozen, they should keep for up to 3 months.
Before reheating, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating: To reheat, place them on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Cook in a preheated 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until an instant-read digital thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the breast reaches 165°F.
- The average size of boneless breasts varies a lot. On average, one can weigh anywhere from 6 to 12 ounces. If your poultry weighs less than 6 ounces, you can double the amount of herb cheese filling and use 1 breast per person.
- To prevent the board from slipping, place a damp kitchen towel underneath it.
Nutrition
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Previous
Sisdy says
This was easy and delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Lemonholic says
Delectable, tasty, simple chicken recipe!
Paula Blair says
That was delicious but I’m so glad I cut the onion powder and garlic powder in half.
R.Gomez says
I cannot find the ingredients anywhere on this page.
Gianne - TFN Team Member says
Thanks for letting us know. We already fixed it and you can check the recipe now.
Lizzie says
When this calls for dried thyme, is that dried ground thyme or dried thyme leaves (both sold in the spice aisle in the grocery not in the produce section)?
Gianne - TFN Team Member says
They can use either. If I just have the dried leaves, I roll them between my fingers to crush them before adding to the recipe.