This Ruth Chris stuffed chicken breast recipe twist tastes pretty convincingly like the original. We’re using garlic herb, cream cheese, and ranch dressing.
The Best Ruth Chris Stuffed Chicken Recipe Twist
Grandma’s chicken breast — nearly every family has an heirloom chicken recipe, and every family recipe is different. These days, while prices spike, one of the more economical chicken cuts to buy is chicken breast.
And whether you’ve actually eaten at the restaurant, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, miraculously have and inside to the Ruth Chris stuffed chicken recipe, or you’ve made up your own stuffed chicken recipe, this chicken breast recipe will land 5 stars — year round, not just as a holiday meal.
P.S., I recommend adding a larger dose of garlic powder to help the faint of heart during sick seasons!
What Is Stuffed Chicken?
Stuffed chicken is prepared in many ways, and with different ways of being stuffed. By “stuffing” here, read “removing and restuffing what was already in your chicken.”
Stuffing is well known. A stuffed chicken recipe was even found in a Roman cookbook from the Middle Ages — it wasn’t Ruth’s Chris stuffed chicken, but I’m maybe it was a better stuffed chicken than the chicken recipes I’ve found through influence tv recommendations.
Chicken stuffing is typically made with three components: starch, vegetables, and meat combined with an herby sauce or cheese.
Starches might include bread or quinoa, proteins can be things like goat cheese, provolone, or sausage, and herbs sometimes include spinach, basil, rosemary, both garlic and garlic powder, and thyme.
Ruth’s Chris stuffed chicken breasts recipe twists the typical stuffed chicken’s fill stuff, enhancing creaminess for a delectable juicy chicken, and adding an herby garlic coolness.
The stuffing sauce ingredients that seem to speak the best for Ruth’s Chris stuffed chicken breast recipe are:
- Garlic
- Herb
- Cream cheese
- Ranch dressing
Ruth Chris Inspired Stuffed Chicken Recipe
This Ruth Chris stuffed chicken look-alike recipe is the most talked-about stuffed chicken breasts version out there.
The Ruth’s Chris steak house recipe is described as roasted twice and stuffed with garlic herb cheese and a lemon butter topping. Here’s a recipe with creamy garlic and herb essences to reach Ruth Chris clone status, or, at least, have a magical Ruth’s Chris experience in your kitchen.
This recipe is made with cream cheese and is kicked off by melted butter. But if you prefer, you can swap out the dairy for a nut-based cream cheese alternative, and olive oil in place of the butter.
Additionally, if you’re not a fan, you can remove the skin. Place chicken skin in a pot of boiling water to make a yummy broth for later, though!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of cream cheese
- 1/2 cup of shredded cheese mixture (try sharp cheddar cheese)
- 1 packet of ranch dressing powder
- 1 to 2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1 pinch of dried parsley (learn about this carrot cousin here)
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 2 pieces of chicken breast, double roasted (this recipe uses one large double breasted chicken)
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Making this Ruth’s Chris inspired stuffed chicken takes about 15 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to bake — 45 minutes that’ll be worth everything that this chicken reaches.
Step 1: Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Step 2: Prepare the Cream Cheese Mixture
Prepare the stuffing in a large bowl, using a fork or food processor combine cream cheese, shredded cheese mix, ranch dressing powder, and thyme. This is your stuffed chicken breast fill stuff.
Add a pinch of black pepper, but don’t add any other seasonings because the dressing powder already has just enough. Give everything a good stir.
Step 3: Prepare the Chicken Breasts
Prepare the chicken breasts by cutting a hole for stuffing them. Using a double breasted chicken with the skin, or any other thick chicken, use a sharp knife to cut a pocket in the long side of each breast. Cut the slit just big enough to fit your fingertip through.
Step 4: Fill stuff
Stuff the cream cheese mixture through the pocket you cut and spread it evenly around the inside of the chicken with your fingers.
You can also pipe cream cheese mixture into the chicken breast if you prefer.
Step 5: Suture
Weave a couple of toothpicks through the whole to suture it up so it doesn’t open in the oven.
Step 6: Seasoning
Season the outside of the chicken with garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and parsley flakes. Be sure to season both sides of your double breasted chicken.
Lay a slice of butter on each chicken breast, on top of the skin.
Step 7: Cook
Put your chicken breasts on a high-sided baking sheet or in a pie pan and into the oven for 30 minutes. Pour canola oil on the baking sheet first to limit sticking.
Check at 30 minutes, and if the outside of the double breasted chicken breast isn’t brown yet, cook the chicken breasts for 2 minutes more. Browning should begin shortly, so don’t leave the chicken for more than 2 minutes at a time without checking it. Give it some extra heat if you think it needs a good kick for that golden brown color to appear.
Step 8: Serve the Chicken Breast
You can eat double breasted chicken breast straight out of the oven, just as is.
Or, combine this stuffed chicken recipe with sides like steamed broccoli, grilled asparagus, grilled Brussels sprouts, and non-cream-based salads. Add a dipping or drizzle for salad, veggies, and even the chicken, like butter hollandaise, honey butter, and bacon sprinkles.
Other Stuffed Chicken Stuffing Ideas and side dishes
Stuffed chicken pairs well with white carbohydrates, green vegetables, and herbs, garlic, and lemon. Combine these ideas to make your own recipe for Ruth’s Chris stuffed chicken.
Here are some other stuffing ingredients for chicken:
- Olive oil
- Green peppers
- Fresh broccoli
- Onion powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Cheddar cheese (cheese mix that includes sharp cheddar is a favorite)
- Fresh rosemary (in place of fresh thyme)
Side dishes to accompany chicken:
- Rice-stuffed green peppers
- Potato salad with rosemary, garlic, and lemon
- Grilled sourdough bread with lemon butter
- Steamed greens with garlic and lemon butter: zucchini, asparagus, swiss chard, you name it
- Green peas in melted butter or ranch dressing and with crispy bits of bacon
- Biscuits with sharp shredded cheddar cheese
- Bourbon shrimp
Enjoy this Ruth Chris stuffed chicken recipe, and make it your own. Mix up a delicious garlic herb dip using canola oil, sprinkle on extra bacon bits, add extra cheddar cheese to the stuffing for increased creaminess, or sprinkle in a little cayenne pepper to kick up the heat. And let us know if you find recipes for incredible side dishes for this stuffed chicken breast dinner winner!
FAQs
Here are some commonly asked questions about stuffed chicken, and — of course — their answers:
What Is the Origin of Stuffed Chicken?
Stuffed chicken traces back to the Roman times, when it was mentioned in a recipe book from the Middle Ages, then it’s mentioned again by Pilgrims years later. While there are many different ingredients that can be used for stuffed chicken, the fill stuff was originally made from a combination of nuts, herbs, and vegetables.
What Are Other Stuffed Chicken Fillings?
Other stuffed chicken fillings include ingredients from four main categories: carbohydrates and proteins, herb, vegetable, and sauce. Here are some ideas to mix and match:
Carbohydrate/Protein Stuffed Chicken Ingredients
- Quinoa
- French bread
- Cooked oatmeal and breadcrumbs
- Ground nuts like walnuts or pecans
- Ham
- Sausages
Herb Stuffed Chicken Ingredients
- Parsley flakes
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Thyme leaves
Vegetable Stuffed Chicken Ingredients
- Mushrooms
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Onion rings
- Apple
- Lemon
Sauce Stuffed Chicken Ingredients
- Italian dressing
- Cream cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Jack cheese
- Olive oil
- Apple juice
- Balsamic vinegar
How to Serve Stuffed Chicken
Serve the stuffed chicken as an appetizer or as a main course. If your chicken breasts are small, serve as an appetizer. Otherwise, indulge in this as a main course served over rice or with side dishes like vegetables or grains.
What Side Dishes Go With Stuffed Chicken?
Stuffed chicken tastes good with side dishes like green veggies and grains. Greens and citrusy vegetables like tomatoes pair well.
What Wines Go Well With Stuffed Chicken?
Some delicious wines to drink with a stuffed chicken differ include black-skinned grape wines like Zinfandel and white burgundy wines like Chardonnay.
Are There Other Ways to Cook Stuffed Chicken?
Stuffed chicken can be cooked lots of different ways, including baked in the oven, slow cooked, steamed, or grilled.
Sometimes the meat is prepared or cooked ahead of time before it is used to fill the chicken.
Stuffed chicken filling can be put under the chicken skin, into the meat by making a slice into the meat, or rolled up with the meat after flattening the meat with a mallet.
What Are Popular Stuffed Chicken Recipes?
Some popular stuffed chicken recipes include:
-
Chard Stuffed Chicken Breast:
Chicken breast comes out crisp and golden brown. Stuff the breast with a mixture of garlic herb, chopped chard leaves, spicy cheese mix, sour cream, bacon, and fresh-ground black pepper
-
Stuffed Chicken With Honey Glaze:
This sticky, golden brown stuffed meat is roasted before being stuffed with a mixture of sliced bacon and cheese, then drizzled with honey glaze for the last 5 minutes of baking. This makes a great snack
-
Chile Stuffed Chicken:
This dish is spicy, thanks to chopped green chiles and garlic added generously to the buttery, cheesy stuffing
-
Curried Stuffed Chicken:
Stuff a chicken with curried vegetables for spice and sweet flavors. Use vegetables like spinach, carrots, potatoes, peas, and corn. Cashews, coriander, and red chiles make delicious additions
Final Thoughts
Watch your stuffed chicken carefully to make sure it gets a perfect golden-brown color in the oven without overbaking. An overbaked stuffed chicken is usually dry and less flavorful than stuffed chickens baked just right. If you’re looking for a golden color, just add 2 minutes at a time to avoid overbaking.
Ruth Chris Stuffed Chicken Twist
Equipment
- 1 Oven
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 Fork or food processor
- 1 Sharp knife
- 4 Toothpicks
- 1 Baking sheet (high sided)
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- 1 packet ranch dressing powder
- 1 to 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 pinch parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 pieces chicken breast
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit.
- Prepare the stuffing in a large bowl. Use a fork or food processor to combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, ranch dressing powder, and thyme.Add a pinch of black pepper. Stir.
- Prepare the chicken breasts. Cut a hole in each for stuffing. Using a double-breasted chicken, use a sharp knife to cut a pocket in the long side of each breast. Cut the slit just big enough to fit your fingertip through.
- Stuff the cream cheese mixture through the pocket you cut and spread it evenly around the inside of the chicken with your fingers.
- Suture the pockets closed with toothpicks.
- Season the outsides of the chicken breasts with garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and parsley. Top with butter.
- Put chicken breasts in a high-sided baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Add 2 minutes if the tops aren't golden-brown yet.
- Serve and enjoy!
