The Gastropub Secret: Boursin Stuffed Chicken

British food gets a bad rap for being “plain,” and let’s be honest—we’ve all suffered through a sad, dry, overcooked chicken breast at some point. But this Boursin stuffed chicken is the antidote. Proper British cooking, especially the kind found in the best London gastropubs, is about taking those simple ingredients and treating them with a bit of respect, much like the recipes featured in my guide to the best stuffed chicken breast.

I remember the first time I saw a dish like this on a menu in Islington. It was a rainy Tuesday, the kind where the air feels like a damp wool blanket, and I ducked into a pub with mahogany tables and the smell of roasting meat. When this chicken arrived—perfectly golden, skin crackling, and oozing a rich, herb-flecked cheese—it was a revelation. It’s the kind of meal that makes you feel like you’ve spent forty quid, even if you’re just at your own kitchen table in your slippers.

The “Pocket and Pin” Method for Garlic Herb Stuffed Chicken Breast

My nan always said chicken was “only as good as the love you put into it.” Stuffing it with garlic herb cheese and searing it in a nob of butter? That’s a lot of love, if you ask me. If you enjoy this technique but need something faster for a weeknight, you might also like my 30-Minute Spinach and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken.

The trick to making a garlic herb stuffed chicken breast work at home without the cheese making a premature escape into the pan is the “Pocket and Pin” method. You want to make a surgical incision—just a small slit in the thickest part—and work the knife inside to create a wider cavity without breaching the sides. Think of it like a pillowcase. Then, we use cocktail sticks (that’s toothpicks for my American friends) to pin it shut.

Pro Tip: Always count how many cocktail sticks you put in. If four go in, four must come out before it hits the plate. No one wants a surprise bit of wood with their dinner!

Tarragon Chicken Breast: Why Fresh Herbs Matter

While the Boursin cheese does a lot of the heavy lifting with its garlic and fine herbs, I insist on adding fresh tarragon and flat-leaf parsley. To make a truly restaurant-quality tarragon chicken breast, that quintessential European herb gives the dish a sophisticated, slightly aniseed lift. It cuts right through the richness of the cheese and the butter, making the whole thing feel lighter and more “chef-y.”

When you’re aiming for a proper golden seared chicken, make sure it’s bone-dry. Use kitchen paper (paper towels) to pat that skin until it’s parchment-dry. Moisture is the absolute enemy of a golden crust. If the chicken is wet, it’ll steam rather than sear, and we want that proper gastropub crunch.

How to Serve this Gastropub Style Chicken Recipe

This is comfort in a bowl (or on a plate). I love to serve this gastropub style chicken recipe atop a mountain of proper buttery mash—potatoes whipped with enough butter and cream to make a doctor wince. For those who enjoy deeper, earthy notes, this recipe pairs beautifully with the side elements of my Wild Mushroom and Thyme Stuffed Chicken.

If you’re feeling extra, splash a bit of dry white wine into the pan once the chicken is out to lift all those caramelized bits (the “fond”) and create a quick little jus.

Tuck in, everyone. You’ve earned it.