Garlic Stuffed Chicken Thighs

These garlic stuffed chicken thighs have an irresistible flavor that everyone will love and it is perfect for a weeknight dinner.

 

I have been cooking for as long as I can remember. When I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I took my love for cooking and made some amazing gluten-free recipes.

My love for life and cooking has helped me learn a lot of different things especially when I was in Ukraine where I first enjoyed this recipe (along with this Ukrainian borscht). I learned plenty of tips and tricks, so I am here to help make this the BEST stuffed chicken thighs recipe.

Garlic is such a great seasoning, in my opinion. I absolutely love garlic! Especially in our gluten-free garlic bread recipe. There is just something about it that warms my soul. I love it with lemon too like you find in this lemon grilled chicken.

Maybe it's because garlic usually pairs with pasta, like our Instant Pot lasagna or our tortellini Pomodoro. Pasta is always such a cozy meal, and now we have this tasty chicken dish that will soon be your favorite comfort food.

Stuffed chicken recipes are some of my favorite recipes because they are usually filled with some type of cheese, like parmesan cheese, feta cheese, swiss cheese, and sometimes cream cheese. I also love how much flavor is in this recipe.

Just one piece of chicken has the incredible flavors of garlic, onions, olives, cheese, and cayenne. Because individual pieces of chicken are stuffed with all of these flavors, each bite is a good bite just like in this chicken plov recipe as well.

Why you should make this recipe

• You get to try BRIANNAS garlic vinaigrette, possibly introducing you to your new favorite salad dressing. Any garlicky vinaigrette will work if you can't find this brand.
• It's super easy to make.
• All of your friends will ask for the recipe.

Ingredients needs

• Organic chicken thighs - Chicken breasts and chicken legs have a different texture and taste to them. For this recipe, we use chicken thighs for their fattiness and moisture.
• BRIANNAS Garlic Vinaigrette - We are thankful to BRIANNAS salad dressing for sponsoring this post. We love all of their salad dressings, but for this recipe we are using their garlic vinaigrette. It adds such a great flavor to this chicken dinner.

• Medium onion - You will need one medium onion for this recipe. Make sure it is diced before you fry it in a little olive oil on a medium-sized skillet.
• Black olives - Slice a half a cup of olives before stuffing into the chicken.
• Cheddar cheese - You will need four slices of cheddar cheese that are long enough to fit inside the deboned chicken leg.
• Salt - Only one teaspoon salt will do when flavoring the chicken.
• Black pepper - ¼ teaspoon pepper will do when mixed with the salt and cayenne pepper.
• Cayenne - ¼ teaspoon cayenne adds such a great flavor to this stuffed chicken recipe.

How to make garlic stuffed chicken thighs

Combine chicken in seasoning

In a gallon ziplock bag or large bowl, combine chicken with Real salt, black pepper, cayenne, and ½ bottle BRIANNAS Garlic Vinaigrette.

I think a ziplock bag works great, but if you are worried about the marinade leaking, you can use a large bowl. I've done both and both ways work great.

Marinate chicken

Allow the chicken to marinate in the seasonings and BRIANNAS garlic vinaigrette for two hours in the refrigerator. I love marinating chicken because it creates such a delicious flavor, and it makes the chicken more juicy and flavorful.

You can marinate the chicken longer than two hours if you prefer. I think two hours works great for the flavor, but it is up to personal preference.

Fry onion

Once the chicken is marinated, dice the onion and fry it on medium heat in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil. Doing this will add some more flavor to the onions and make it nice and tasty.

I find that frying the onion beforehand really makes a difference in this recipe. When you take a bite of the chicken, you can really taste the deliciously fried onion.

Stuff the chicken

Now that everything is ready to go, it is time to stuff the chicken. Stuff the chicken with cheddar cheese, onions, and olives.

Secure with toothpicks to ensure that the chicken will not fall apart when baking. Make sure to warn your guests about the toothpicks before eating.

Bake the stuffed chicken

Place chicken thighs in either a baking dish or on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.

Remember to remove the toothpicks from the chicken before eating. You do not want to take a bite out of that.

Tips for Success

• Make sure you plan ahead to let the chicken thigh marinate enough. The chicken will have the best flavor when it has the time to marinate.
• Do not overstuff the chicken or else it will make a mess. You don't want to under stuff though. The perfect balance is when the chicken is full, but the filling does not stick out of the chicken.
• Put a toothpick in each end of the chicken thigh. That way everything will stay put together.

Storage and Freezing

Storing: Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature before placing it into an airtight container. You can store the airtight container in the fridge and the chicken will last 3-4 days.

Freezing: You can freeze the stuffed chicken either cooked or uncooked. If uncooked, wrap the chicken in plastic wrap, place into a freezer bag or container, and freeze. When you are ready to cook, allow the chicken to thaw in the fridge before cooking.

If you want to freeze the cooked chicken, follow the same steps (allow the chicken to cool to room temperature first) and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow chicken to reheat, splash with a bit of water, and reheat in oven or microwave.

Recipe FAQ

Can I use chicken breast instead?

Yes. It won't be as juicy or flavorful though as it is with chicken thigh though. You will also need to flatten the chicken breasts to an even thickness before stuffing and rolling.

What temperature should the chicken be when cooked?

The desired internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Fun fact: for moist, softer chicken, you want to cook the chicken between 300-350 degrees, whereas for tougher, crispier chicken skin, you will want to cook it at around 425 degrees.

You can easily check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. I always recommend having one because they are incredibly useful.

Should I cover the chicken with aluminum foil in the oven?

You don't have to worry about covering the chicken in this recipe. It cooks perfectly fine without being covered.

Ways to Enjoy

This recipe is the perfect main dish. It is filling and delicious and goes with a lot of different sides. Our gluten-free mashed potatoes are incredible and it's always great to have gravy with chicken.

You could also go for a gluten-free stuffing depending on your preference. I highly recommend our gluten-free crescent rolls as a side for these boneless chicken thighs.

I love having a nice mocktail with a delicous meal, so you should check out any of our mocktails. What is a mocktail you ask? We have a whole post about what a mocktail is.