This stuffed chicken breast with classic stuffing is the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for two - juicy, festive, and easier than roasting a whole turkey.
Overwhelmed at the thought of making turkey, stuffing, and gravy -especially when it’s just for a small family? This stuffed chicken breast with stuffing captures all the classic holiday flavors in a smaller, more manageable way. Juicy chicken is rolled with savory bread stuffing and baked until golden, then served with homemade gravy. The recipe makes four roulades - enough for two people with hearty leftovers, or four smaller servings. Perfect for a cozy holiday meal with traditional flavors in just the right size.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Stuffed Chicken Breast with Stuffing
- Pro Tips for Thanksgiving Chicken Roll Ups (Roulade)
- FAQs for Stuffed Chicken Breast with Stuffing
- What to Serve With Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Stuffed Chicken Breast with Stuffing (Thanksgiving Dinner for Two)
Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
- Perfect for small gatherings: A holiday-worthy main dish without a whole turkey.
- All the classic flavors: Juicy chicken paired with bread stuffing, herbs, and savory gravy.
- Elegant yet approachable: Looks festive when sliced, but simple enough for home cooks.
- Customizable stuffing: Use homemade, boxed, or swap in cornbread, sausage, or dried cranberries.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken breasts: Large, boneless, and skinless. Butterflied into cutlets and pounded thin so they roll easily and cook evenly. (See my [chicken roulade recipe] for a detailed guide on preparing chicken breasts for roulades.)
- Prosciutto: Adds savory flavor and helps hold the roulades together while baking. (Kitchen string or toothpicks also work if you don’t want to use prosciutto.)
- Bread cubes: I used whole wheat sandwich bread, cut into very small cubes and toasted in the oven to dry out. Feel free to use boxed stuffing mix or store-bought dried bread cubes if you want a shortcut.
- Vegetables: Onion and celery - the classic base for stuffing.
- Butter: For sautéing the vegetables and giving the stuffing richness.
- Herbs: Sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley bring out the traditional Thanksgiving flavor.
- Dried cranberries: A pop of sweetness and festive color in the stuffing.
- Chicken broth: Moistens the stuffing and forms the base of the gravy.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder - simple but essential.
- Flour + butter: Combined to make the roux for homemade gravy.
How to Make Stuffed Chicken Breast with Stuffing
- Make the stuffing: Sauté onion and celery with butter and herbs. Reserve ¼ cup for the gravy, then mix the rest with toasted bread cubes, dried cranberries, parsley, and chicken broth.
- Prep the chicken: Butterfly and pound chicken breasts thin, then season.
- Assemble: Spread stuffing on each cutlet, roll tightly, and wrap with prosciutto (or secure with toothpicks or butcher’s twine and season with oil, salt, and pepper).
- Bake: Roast at 400°F for 22–25 minutes, then rest before slicing.
- Make the gravy: In the same skillet, whisk butter, flour, reserved veggies, and broth until thickened.
- Serve: Slice into halves or pinwheels and top with gravy.
Pro Tips for Thanksgiving Chicken Roll Ups (Roulade)
- Keep the chicken moist: Don’t overbake - slice the largest piece to check doneness. The chicken should be opaque and the juices clear.
- Make ahead: Stuff and roll the chicken up to 24 hours in advance, then bake right before serving. The gravy can also be made ahead and reheated on the stovetop.
- Stuffing swaps: Try cornbread stuffing, sausage stuffing, or even a gluten-free bread mix.
- Prosciutto or not: Prosciutto adds flavor and helps hold the roulade together, but toothpicks or butcher’s twine work too.
- Presentation: Slice into pinwheels for a festive holiday look.
- Storage & reheating: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 2–3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or air fryer to keep the chicken moist and the outside crisp.
FAQs for Stuffed Chicken Breast with Stuffing
Yes, but they’re smaller and don’t roll as evenly. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are best for roulades. If you don’t feel comfortable butterflying chicken breasts, many grocery stores now sell thinly sliced chicken breasts that work well.
Yes. This recipe makes 4 stuffed chicken roulades (enough to feed 4 people), so if you’d like to freeze extras, bake them first, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Position the chicken breast with the tapered side up. When adding stuffing, leave some space at the top so it doesn’t spill out as you roll. Start rolling from the bottom, tuck tightly, and place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Wrapping with prosciutto or securing with toothpicks/twine also helps hold everything in place.
What to Serve With Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Mashed Potatoes for Two: creamy and classic, perfect with the homemade gravy.
- Herb Roasted Potatoes: golden and flavorful, a cozy potato side to pair with chicken.
- Quick Sautéed Green Beans from Frozen: a fast, no-fuss veggie side.
- Air Fried Mac and Cheese Bites: fun, comforting, and a great make-ahead side.
- Fried Goat Cheese Salad: crisp, fresh, and tangy, the perfect balance to a rich main dish.
- Cranberry Sauce with Dried Cranberries: just the right sweet-tart touch to pair with the savory chicken and stuffing.
This stuffed chicken breast with stuffing is a cozy, small-scale way to enjoy all the flavors of Thanksgiving without roasting a whole bird. It’s elegant enough for the holiday table yet simple enough for a weeknight dinner in fall or winter. If you’d like another festive option, my Thanksgiving Chicken Thighs recipe is just as flavorful and perfect for two. And for those cooking turkey breast, a whole chicken, or even a full bird for family gatherings, my Herb Butter Recipe is an easy way to bring extra richness and flavor to any roasted main. No matter how you celebrate, I hope this recipe helps make your holiday meal feel special and stress-free.
PrintStuffed Chicken Breast with Stuffing (Thanksgiving Dinner for Two)
This stuffed chicken breast with classic stuffing is the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for two - juicy, festive, and easier than roasting a whole turkey.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 stuffed chicken breasts 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the stuffing:
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4 slices whole wheat sandwich bread (about 3 cups), cut into ¼-inch cubes
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1 cup onion, finely diced
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¾ cup celery, finely diced
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½ teaspoon dried ground sage + 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
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¾ teaspoon dried thyme
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½ teaspoon dried rosemary
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¾ teaspoon kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon table salt)
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¼ teaspoon black pepper
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2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
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2–3 tablespoons dried cranberries, chopped
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⅔ cup chicken broth, plus more if needed
For the chicken roll-ups/roulades:
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2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (butterflied into 4 cutlets, pounded thin - See my [chicken roulade recipe] for a detailed guide on preparing chicken breasts)
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½ teaspoon kosher salt
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⅛ teaspoon black pepper
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¼ teaspoon onion powder
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4 slices prosciutto (use 2 per roulade if chicken pieces are large)
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Olive oil, for brushing (if not using prosciutto)
For the gravy:
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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¼ cup reserved cooked vegetable mixture (from stuffing)
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1½ to 2 cups chicken broth (see note)
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Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Prep the bread cubes: Cut bread into ¼-inch cubes (a serrated knife works best). Spread on a baking sheet and toast at 250°F for about 30 minutes, until dried out.
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Cook the vegetables: In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook until softened. Stir in sage, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup of the mixture for the gravy.
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Make the stuffing: In a large bowl, combine toasted bread cubes, remaining vegetable mixture, dried cranberries, parsley, and chicken broth. Stir until bread is evenly moistened, adding more broth as needed.
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Prepare the chicken: Butterfly and pound chicken breasts into thin cutlets. Season with salt, pepper, and onion powder. (See my [chicken roulade recipe] for a detailed guide on preparing chicken breasts).
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Assemble roulades: Spread a thin layer of stuffing over each cutlet. Roll tightly. Wrap each with prosciutto (use 2 slices if needed). If not using prosciutto, secure with toothpicks or twine and brush lightly with olive oil. Place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Bake: Roast at 400°F for 22–25 minutes. To check doneness, slice the largest roulade in half — the chicken should be opaque and juices clear. Rest 5 minutes before slicing.
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Make the gravy: In the same skillet used for the vegetables, melt butter and whisk in flour to make a roux. Add the reserved vegetable mixture, then slowly whisk in broth. Simmer 5–8 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. (Use 1½ cups broth for thicker gravy, 2 cups for thinner.)
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Serve: Slice roulades into halves or pinwheels and serve warm with gravy.
Notes
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Yield: Makes 4 roulades - enough for 2 people with hearty leftovers, or 4 people for lighter servings.
- Prep tip: Prep time is based on using bread cubes already toasted and dried. If you’re making bread cubes from scratch, allow an additional 10 minutes (about 30 minutes total).
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Make ahead: Stuff and roll chicken up to 24 hours in advance, then bake when ready. Gravy can also be made ahead and reheated.
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Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 2–3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or air fryer.
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Shortcut: You can substitute boxed stuffing mix or store-bought dried bread cubes for the homemade version. You can also prepare the bread cubes ahead of time to speed up the cooking time.
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