1. Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C). Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Carefully slice each chicken breast horizontally almost all the way through, creating a pocket or “butterfly” opening. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Season the inside and outside of the chicken with salt and pepper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, thawed and squeezed dry spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix until all ingredients are well combined and the mixture is smooth and creamy.

3. Spoon a generous amount of the spinach artichoke mixture into the pocket of each butterflied chicken breast. Don’t overfill, but make sure each breast has a good amount of the creamy filling. You might need to gently press the chicken closed around the filling.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place the stuffed chicken breasts in the hot skillet and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, just until lightly golden brown. This step adds a nice color and extra layer of flavor, but you can skip it and go straight to baking if you’re short on time.

5. If you seared the chicken, transfer the skillet directly to the preheated oven. If you skipped searing, place the stuffed chicken breasts in a lightly greased baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 F (74 C) when measured with a meat thermometer at the thickest part.

6. During the last 5-10 minutes of baking, you can sprinkle a little extra mozzarella cheese over the top of each chicken breast for a gooey, golden crust.

7. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, keeping the chicken moist and tender.