The Chicken Ricotta Recipe That’s Become My Weekly Staple

If you’ve never combined chicken with ricotta before, you’re honestly missing out. This chicken ricotta recipe brings together juicy, tender chicken with the creamy, slightly tangy richness of ricotta cheese and the result is something that feels way fancier than the effort it actually takes.

I first made this on a random Tuesday when I had half a tub of ricotta sitting in the fridge. Now it shows up on my dinner table at least twice a month.

Why This Combination Just Works

Ricotta isn’t just for lasagna. When you use it with chicken whether you’re stuffing it, spreading it, or mixing it into a sauce it melts into this silky, luscious layer that keeps the meat incredibly moist. It’s also mild enough to take on whatever seasonings you throw at it, which makes it endlessly flexible.

Plus, the ingredients for this dish are things most people already have. Nothing fancy, nothing hard to find.

What You’ll Need

For the chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Fresh basil or parsley for finishing

Optional for serving:

• Your favorite pasta
• Marinara sauce
• A simple green salad

How to Make Chicken Ricotta Recipe

How to make this dish really couldn’t be simpler, even if you’re not super confident in the kitchen yet.

Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). While that heats up, mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, a good pinch of salt, and some cracked black pepper in a bowl. Give it a taste it should be savory and fragrant.

Now here’s where you have a choice. You can slice a pocket into each chicken breast and stuffed the filling inside, or you can simply spread the ricotta mixture right on top. Both work beautifully. The stuffed version holds more filling and looks impressive when sliced. The topped version is faster and just as delicious.

Drizzle a baking dish with olive oil, lay your chicken in, and either stuff or top with the ricotta mixture. If you’re going the stuffed route, secure the opening with a toothpick so the filling doesn’t spill out during cooking.

Then you just bake it uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the ricotta on top has turned golden at the edges. Let it rest for five minutes before cutting in that’s non-negotiable if you want the juices to stay in the meat.

Serving It Over Pasta

Honestly, this dish over pasta is where things get really good. Cook up some linguine or penne while the chicken is in the oven. Warm a little marinara in a pan, slice the chicken, and lay it right over the pasta with a spoonful of sauce and some torn basil on top.

It looks like something from a restaurant. It takes about 40 minutes total. That’s the kind of math I love.

A Few Tips Worth Knowing

Don’t skip the resting time after baking. Five minutes makes a real difference in texture and juiciness.

Whole-milk ricotta is worth it here. The low-fat version tends to get a little watery in the oven, which can make the topping slide off or the stuffing too loose.

Also, if you want easy prep ahead of time, you can assemble everything the night before, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it. Just pull it out 20 minutes before baking so it’s not ice cold going into the oven.

What to Do With Leftovers

Shredded leftover chicken from this recipe is genuinely fantastic the next day. Shred it with two forks, mix it with any remaining ricotta filling, and use it as a topping for toasted bread, a filling for wraps, or tossed back into pasta with a bit of olive oil. Nothing goes to waste.

Stored in an airtight container, it keeps well in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of water or broth to keep things moist.

One Recipe, Endless Variations

Feel free to add spinach to the ricotta filling just squeeze out all the moisture first. Sun-dried tomatoes work beautifully too. If you like heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes in the filling changes the whole vibe in the best way.

You can also use chicken thighs instead of breasts for a richer, more forgiving result if you tend to overbake things slightly.

The Takeaway

This chicken ricotta recipe is the kind of dish that quietly becomes a household favorite. It’s simple enough for a weeknight but good enough to serve when you have people over. Once you make it the first time, you’ll understand why it earns a permanent spot in the rotation.