Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast
Chicken breasts cut with a pocket and stuffed with soft apple, onion, dried cranberries and sage, seared and finished in the oven. Four servings in 50 minutes.
Make Ahead and Storage
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat, covered, in a moderate oven until hot.
How to Make Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F (170°C / 340°F fan). Cut a deep pocket into the thick side of each chicken breast.
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Heat half the oil in an ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Cook the apple and onion for 5 minutes, until soft. Tip into a bowl, cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the cranberries, sage, egg white and half the pepper.
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Spoon the stuffing into the pockets and close with cocktail sticks. Rub the chicken with the paprika, the remaining oil and pepper.
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Sear in the pan for 3 minutes a side, then bake for 20 minutes, until the centres reach 74°C. Rest for 5 minutes and remove the sticks before slicing.
Worth Knowing
- Do not overfill the pockets; stuffing that spills out burns in the pan.
- If you have no ovenproof pan, sear in a frying pan and move the chicken to a baking dish.
- Count the cocktail sticks in and out so that none ends up on a plate.
Behind the Recipe
Cut the pocket from the thick side. Stop before you reach the far edge, because a pocket that goes right through is just a split breast and the filling will fall out. A thin, sharp knife makes a clean, narrow slit.
The stuffing is apple, onion, dried cranberries and sage, bound with a little egg white instead of the usual breadcrumbs, which keeps the dish gluten free. Soften the apple and onion first, for about 5 minutes, because raw apple stays hard while the chicken cooks. Cool the stuffing before it goes in. Hot filling starts to cook the meat from the inside. Sage should be chopped fine; large leaves taste harsh in a bite.
Sear first, then finish in the oven, so that the outside is golden and the inside stays juicy. Paprika adds colour. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before slicing, which keeps the filling in place. Spoon over any pan juices. Warm the plates, as the chicken cools quickly once sliced.
What to Put Next to It
Steamed green beans · Steamed white rice · A cucumber salad
Quick Answers
How long does Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast take to make?
About 50 minutes in total — 20 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast?
Do not overfill the pockets; stuffing that spills out burns in the pan. If you have no ovenproof pan, sear in a frying pan and move the chicken to a baking dish. Count the cocktail sticks in and out so that none ends up on a plate.
What should I serve with Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast?
Steamed green beans; Steamed white rice; A cucumber salad.
How should Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat, covered, in a moderate oven until hot.
Is Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is gluten-free, kidney-friendly, low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast?
About 234 kcal per serving, with 26 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate and 10 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast Nutrition
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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