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ingredients
2 6-8 Oz. Skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 Tbsp. Marinated Artichokes, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Roasted red peppers, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Crumbled Feta
1 Tbsp. Kalmata olives, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Chives, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 Sheets of Phyllo dough
2 Tbsp. Butter, melted
Lemon wedges to serve
DIRECTIONS
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a casserole dish.
5) Melt your butter in a small dish. Unfold the phyllo dough. Working quickly brush one sheet with butter, top with a second sheet and butter again. Top the two sheets of phyllo with one of the chicken breasts and roll over once. Fold the ends under and fold again until all the phyllo is wrapped around the chicken. Place in the prepared casserole dish. Do this with the second chicken breast.
6) Brush the tops of the pastry with more butter and place in the oven. Bake until golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. About 45 – 55 minutes.
The best news? You can make this the night before and keep in the fridge covered overnight. I don’t brush the phyllo wrapped chicken until I’m ready to bake it. I’ll keep in the fridge covered with a damp, clean kitchen towel and then let sit for about 1/2 hour on the kitchen counter before baking. Right before you put in the oven, brush with the final butter wash. I’ll also let the chicken bake an extra 5-10 minutes.
I love working with phyllo…it is light and crispy (like thin paper) and adds the perfect crunch to this dish. Be sure to try my Chicken Pot Pie with Phyllo recipe…everything you love in a pot pie with that spectacular phyllo crust.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a casserole dish and put to the side.
To get started with this recipe, pull together all the ingredients for the stuffing. Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature…it will make working with it so much easier. Put that, the feta, artichokes, roasted peppers, olives, chives, spinach and a pinch of salt and some pepper in a bowl. Mash everything together making sure everything is well blended.
Next lay your chicken breasts on a cutting board. Hold it down with the palm of your hand and using a small, sharp knife, cut a slit almost the entire length of the chicken and cut through ALMOST to the other side. You want to create a large pocket to hold the stuffing. Do this with both chicken breasts. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Next, spoon half the mixture into each chicken breast. Press the filling way into the cavity then pull down the chicken to gently seal over the filling. It is okay if it is gapping. We are going to wrap it in the phyllo and enclose it so it will be fine. Do this with both breasts.
Next, melt your butter in a small dish. I put it in the microwave for 10 second increments until melted. Unfold your pastry and work quickly. Take one sheet and brush with the melted butter. Top it with a second sheet of dough. Brush that with butter too. Then, place your stuffed chicken breast at one end of the dough and fold over. Fold over the ends towards the middle of the chicken breast and continue rolling so you have a nice, neat package. Place in the prepared casserole dish. Do this with both chicken breasts. Brush with a little more butter and put in the oven for 45-55 minutes until golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.
Don’t worry if your phyllo cracks or isn’t perfect. It gets golden brown in the oven and looks rustic and tastes delicious. If you haven’t worked with phyllo, here are the most common questions and answers for working with it.
Phyllo dough, also known as filo dough, is a thin and delicate pastry dough that is commonly used in Greek, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cuisines. It is made by rolling out layers of unleavened dough to create thin sheets that are stacked on top of each other.
Phyllo dough is widely available in most grocery stores, usually in the frozen section. It can be found in various brands and sheet sizes. I’m able to find Pepperidge Farm phyllo dough in almost every supermarket.
To store phyllo dough, keep it in its original packaging and seal it tightly. Store it in the refrigerator if you plan to use it within a few days or in the freezer for longer storage. Make sure to follow the instructions on the package for specific storage guidelines.
When thawing frozen phyllo dough, it is essential to follow the instructions on the package. In most cases, it needs to be placed in the refrigerator overnight for gradual thawing.
While it isn’t recommended, I’ve been there. I have forgotten to take it from the freezer and put in the refrigerator the night before. Now what? In a pinch, I’ve put the dough (in the wrapper it comes in) on a plate and make put it in the microwave for 15 – 20 seconds. It will thaw that quickly. Just note, it tends to crack and tear. For most recipes that is OK since phyllo tends to do that anyway. While not recommended, it does work in a pinch.
This dough dries out very quickly. When you aren’t working with a sheet of it, keep the rest covered with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Then, just work with one sheet at a time and butter it quickly. Just be careful unrolling the dough and keep it covered with a damp kitchen towel when you aren’t working with it.
When handling phyllo dough, it’s crucial to be gentle as it is delicate and can tear easily. Carefully peel off one sheet at a time, and if it tears, you can patch it together by overlapping another sheet. Additionally, make sure your hands are dry and free from excess flour or oil, as they can cause the sheets to stick or tear.
I love serving this with wedges of lemon and my Greek Lettuce Cups. You could also serve with my Creamy Whole Wheat Orzo with Orange and Spinach. Both options are delicious.
If you like this recipe and like Greek flavors, be sure to try some of my other favorites:
Grilled Baby Lamb Chops with Rosemary & Thyme with Roast Garlic Aioli on the Side
