Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 chicken breast, boneless, skinless
Stuffing
- 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 50 g kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 2 g fresh oregano, finely chopped
Seasoning
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 459 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 794 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 150 mg
- Potassium
- 469 mg
- Calcium
- 162 mg
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 56 mg
- Phosphorus
- 433 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 82 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.39 mg
- Niacin
- 20.1 mg
- Folate
- 16 mcg
- Water
- 153 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F). Lightly coat a baking dish with a small amount of olive oil.
Using a chef knife, roughly chop the pitted kalamata olives and fresh oregano.
In a mixing bowl, combine the crumbled feta cheese, chopped kalamata olives, and fresh oregano. Toss gently until evenly mixed.
Place the chicken breasts on a dedicated raw meat cutting board. Using the chef knife, carefully slice horizontally through the thickest part of each breast to create a pocket, ensuring you do not cut completely through to the other side. Wash your hands and knife immediately after handling raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
Stuff the feta and olive mixture evenly into the pockets of the chicken breasts. Secure the open edges with toothpicks.
Rub the exterior of the stuffed chicken breasts with the olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the exterior is golden and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 74 C (165 F).
Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before removing the toothpicks and serving.
Chef's Notes
- To help the chicken cook evenly, you can gently pound the thicker end of the breast with a meat mallet before slicing the pocket.
- Feta and olives bring significant natural saltiness. Always taste your olive and feta mixture before seasoning the outside of the chicken; you may want to reduce the external salt.
- For an extra layer of flavor, sear the seasoned, stuffed chicken breasts in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side before moving the skillet to the oven to finish baking.
- Always remember to remove the toothpicks before serving to ensure safety for your guests.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The cheese may firm up upon cooling.
Freezer: 1 month — Freezing is possible but may slightly alter the texture of the feta.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a 175 C / 350 F oven covered with foil to prevent the chicken from drying out.
Troubleshooting
Cheese filling leaked entirely out of the chicken
Cause: The pocket was cut too wide or the opening was not adequately secured
Fix: Scoop the melted cheese from the baking dish and serve it over the top of the sliced chicken
Prevention: Leave at least a 2 cm border uncut around the pocket and use multiple toothpicks woven through the meat
Chicken is dry and tough
Cause: Overcooking due to baking too long without checking internal temperature
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but can be masked by serving with a pan sauce or extra olive oil
Prevention: Use a digital meat thermometer and pull the chicken exactly when it reaches 74 C (165 F)
Cultural Context
Stuffed meats hold a prominent place in Mediterranean cuisine, allowing cooks to stretch luxurious ingredients like aged cheeses and cured olives. This specific combination relies on the classic Greek flavor profile, marrying the sharp tang of sheep milk feta with the fruity brine of kalamata olives, bringing the essence of the Aegean coast to a weeknight staple.
