Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Chicken & Filling
- 4 chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 120 g cream cheese, softened
- 2 garlic, minced
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 g black pepper, ground
Wrapping
- 8 parma ham
Vegetables
- 300 g cherry tomatoes, whole
- 200 g baby spinach, fresh
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 458 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 517 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 139 mg
- Potassium
- 992 mg
- Calcium
- 113 mg
- Iron
- 3.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 96 mg
- Phosphorus
- 416 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 374 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 28 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 286 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.24 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.39 mg
- Niacin
- 17.0 mg
- Folate
- 110 mcg
- Water
- 191 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). While the oven heats, combine the softened cream cheese, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and black pepper in a small bowl. Mix until smooth.
Using a sharp knife, cut a horizontal slit into the thickest part of each chicken breast to create a deep pocket. Be careful not to slice all the way through the other side.
Stuff each chicken pocket generously with the cream cheese mixture. Press the opening closed with your fingers.
Wrap each chicken breast with two slices of Parma ham. Wrap tightly to seal the pocket opening. If the ham doesn't hold, secure the seam with a toothpick.
Place the wrapped chicken in a large baking dish. Arrange the cherry tomatoes around the chicken and drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil.
Remove the tray from the oven. Verify the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Transfer the chicken to a warm plate to rest.
Immediately add the fresh spinach to the hot baking dish with the roasted tomatoes and pan juices. Stir gently until the residual heat wilts the spinach.
Chef's Notes
- Do not salt the chicken directly; the Parma ham and cream cheese provide sufficient sodium.
- If using large spinach leaves instead of baby spinach, roughly chop them before wilting to make them easier to eat.
- For extra golden color, you can quickly sear the wrapped chicken in a skillet for 2 minutes per side before placing it in the baking dish.
- Ensure the cream cheese is fully softened at room temperature before mixing to avoid lumps in the filling.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The Parma ham will lose crispness upon reheating.
Freezer: 1 month — Cream cheese texture may become slightly grainy upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat in an oven at 175°C (350°F) for 10-15 minutes to recrisp the ham.
Troubleshooting
Cheese filling leaks out during baking
Cause: Pocket was cut too large or not sealed tightly enough with the ham
Fix: Scoop leaked cheese from the pan and serve it as a sauce over the chicken
Prevention: Cut a smaller pocket opening and ensure the ham seam overlaps the opening
Cultural Context
This dish draws heavily from Italian saltimbocca ('jumps in the mouth') traditions, utilizing the classic pairing of prosciutto (Parma ham) and poultry. While traditional saltimbocca uses veal and sage, this stuffed variation adds a modern creamy element popular in contemporary European home cooking.
