Cheddar Apple Stuffed Chicken

Tip:
Chicken breasts are plumped up with a sage-scented apple and cheddar stuffing, roasted to perfection and then finished with a maple-Dijon glaze. The flavour profile smacks of comforting fall dinners – so why not add root vegetables, such as pieces of squash, parsnips and sweet potatoes to the oven – and when the chicken is done you can tuck into a complete roasted dinner.

Submitted by: Recipe and photo courtesy of BC Chicken Marketing Board

• 4 chicken breasts, skin-on and bone-in
• 1 small apple, peeled and cored
• 3 tsp (15 mL) dried leaf sage
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup (250 mL) packed grated old cheddar cheese OR 1/2 cup (125 mL) crumbled creamy goat’s cheese
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) each of Dijon, melted butter and maple syrup
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried leaf thyme

1. Make a pocket in chicken breasts for the stuffing. Working with one breast at a time, form a pocket in the thickest side by making a horizontal cut about 2 ½ inches (6 cm) long and 1 ½ inches (4 cm) deep. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Finely chop apple and place ½ cup (125 mL) in a bowl. Sprinkle with sage and onion. Work between your hands to evenly mix. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to mix.
3. Gather up about a 1/3 cup (100 mL) apple mixture and press together. Gently open the pocket in one chicken breast and stuff in cheese mixture, pushing as close to center of breast as possible. Add more if you can. Wet inside edges of opening and press down to seal. Set on a baking sheet with shallow sides. Repeat with remaining chicken and stuffing. Pressing the opening side of the chicken against the side of the baking sheet will help hold the stuffing in.
4. Stir Dijon with melted butter, maple syrup, thyme and salt. Brush a little over chicken. Loosely cover chicken with a tent of foil. Roast at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes. Brush again with Dijon mixture. Continue roasting, uncovered, this time until chicken feels springy when tapped, from 15 to 25 more minutes. If chicken gets beautifully brown before it is cooked though, lay foil pieces loosely overtop the brown areas.