Have you ever sat down to a meal and felt a deep sense of pleasure?
Hunger enticing aromas swirling about your place at the table and causing a most soul filled joy. And at first bite you pause, relishing the beauty of the flavors dancing on your tongue.
My culinary students often hear me say “food should not only satisfy our hunger, it should feed our soul, nourish our body, while delighting our senses”.
This dish completely delights my senses.
Filled with fresh diced tart apples, sweet, spicy shallots, earthy sage and best of all… stinky cheese.
I love stinky cheese. Just ask the Bennett Crew.
On occasion they’ll open the refrigerator door and get a huge whiff of my stinky cheese. Of course, moaning and quickly closing the frig door for fear they might pass out from the overpowering scent.
But once that stinky cheese makes it into stuffed chicken breasts with apples, shallots and sage… all is forgiven. 🙂
Brie and Apple Stuffed Chicken with Apple Cider Pan Sauce
Stuffing chicken breasts is a simple task. Just takes a little patience and a little practice and you’ll have it mastered in no time at all. I promise! I’ve attached two demonstration photos at the end of the recipe.
If you love this recipe, you’ll absolutely love the recipe Baked Chicken Breasts with Cream Cheese Stuffing and Tomato Sauce from my new blogging friend Chica Andaluza. While you’re there, check out Chica’s other delicious recipes! Happy Cooking!
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, preferably organic or locally naturally raised
3 tablespoons high heat oil
1 heaping tablespoon diced shallot
2 apples, peeled, cored and small diced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1 – 1 1/2 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
4 ounces Brie cheese, sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F.
For the apples: Heat one tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the shallots and let them cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Then add the diced apples. Cook the apples until somewhat golden and tender about 5-7 minutes.
Mix in the chopped fresh sage and sauté a minute longer. Season with a little salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
For the chicken: At the largest end of each chicken breast, make a deep horizontal cut (pocket). Stuff each chicken breast with a slice of brie and then the apple mixture.
Season the outside of the chicken breasts with salt and Pepper.
To cook the Chicken:
In an ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium high. When the oil is hot brown the chicken breasts on both sides, being careful when turning so the filling doesn’t fall out. If needed use toothpicks to secure pocket. If you do not have an ovenproof skillet, brown the chicken breasts and then transfer to a baking dish and proceed with apple cider and bake according to directions below. This method also works well if preparing 6 stuffed chicken breasts.
Once the chicken is browned, add the apple cider and place in a preheated oven and let them cook until done, about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160-165F.
When the chicken is done, remove from the oven. Place the chicken on a platter and keep warm. Heat the remaining pan juices and sauce from the cooked chicken and apple cider and bring it to a lively simmer. Add a bit more apple cider if needed (I like extra sauce). Add a splash of brandy or a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to pull all those delicious flavors together.
Taste for seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper if needed.
Pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with fresh chopped Italian parsley and serve immediately.
I love this dish served with simple roasted brussel sprouts or broccoli. Also, in the spring this is delightful with roasted or steamed fresh spring asparagus.
Stuffing a Chicken Breast
At the plumpest end of a chicken breast, cut a deep pocket. Cut slowly, and if for some reason you cut through the opposite side, not too worry. You can still stuff your chicken breast. It will just need some extra care and patience when browning.
Once you’ve made your pocket, slide the cheese in first. With a small teaspoon fill the pocket with the apples. Using your fingers to “fully stuff” the chicken and make sure the filling is secure.
Use this method for any type filling. Ham and Swiss or Gruyère, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and feta, olive tapenade, fresh herbs and Gruyère, fresh rosemary and cheddar. Yum!
Karista, I like the part where you talk about the stinky cheese. We love stinky cheese too. The dish sounds great. We can’t wait to try it.
Cameron and Paula Taylor
Haha! Thanks Cam. Next time we’re together I think some wine and stinky cheese is in order!
Ooh that looks so good and that brie really was just at its perfect moment for eating! Thanks too for the lovely mention 🙂
You are so welcome Chica! I know my readers will love your recipes.
Yummy! Loving this recipe. I just drank a bottle of cider :D. I’d devour this.
Mmmm… I’d love a bottle of English cider too 🙂 Yes, anything stuffed with a bit of cheese is divine isn’t it? Happy Cooking Frugal!
This looks great!!
Thanks Julie. While preparing this lovely dish I think I may have eaten my weight in brie. 🙂
The pictures make this recipe sound so delicious. Can’t wait to try it.
Hope you like it Adam! Happy Cooking 🙂
this is scrummity! I just love the cheese, and the ingredients all together sound yum 🙂
Tandy this is one of those easy dishes that tastes gourmet. Love it when that happens! 🙂
This looks and sounds amazing, definately have to make it. Thanks! S
Thank you! I think it’s now one of my new favorites. 🙂
This really DOES look like a dish to delight the senses…it is so pretty and I can just taste all those wonderful flavors together. Chicken, herbs, fruit and cheese…all my faves. I’m going to have to try this one Karista! 🙂
🙂 And of course the cheese is the best part! Hope you enjoy!
WOW! This looks and sounds amazing.
Thank you! My family’s already asked for it again this week. LOL!
I love stinky cheese as well… addicted I think! So I’ve got to try this recipe for sure:)
Smidge, I think addicted is the correct word! LOL! I can’t have it in my house or It’ll be gone in no time at all. 🙂
This sounds absolutely delicious. I’m a stinky cheese lover as well, the runnier and stinkier the better. When we travel to Europe, I have as much as I can get…even for breakfast.
Thanks Karen. And I’m with you… the runnier and stinkier the better! 🙂 Oh to enjoy stinky cheese in Europe. That would be divine. Would love to know some of your favorites…
Three of my favorites are all French…Mont d’Or, Reblochon and Epoisses, all great.
I’ve tasted the Epoisses and loved it. The other two I’ve never tasted so I’ll have to be on the lookout for them. Thank you!
Apples and chicken are amazing together. Can’t wait to try it with brie, I’m a fan of the stuff!
Great photos too!
Thank you Bryan for your comment! And thanks for stopping by. Looking forward to checking out your delicious recipes! Happy Cooking!
Karista – this looks delicious. Not too complicated, but would be great for guests! Yum!
Exactly, simple enough for the weeknight but pretty enough for guests. My kind of meal! 🙂
I love this! The bright, fresh flavors with the richness of brie – mmm.
It’s a keeper! And actually anything with Brie is a keeper. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
I love a good stinky cheese too – look forward to trying this one! And beautiful photographs too. 🙂
I love a good stinky cheese – I look forward to trying out this recipe! And such beautiful photographs too… 🙂
Thanks Vanesther! Hope you love it. Delicious wishes for a fabulous weekend!
I think I just fell in love with that cheese… Delish!!!
I do love apple and cheddar together but have never tried apple and Brie, am sure it is an equally winning combination 🙂
Apple and Brie were made for each other! Once you taste it you’ll be hooked. I also love a slice of brie on crostini, warmed, with a thin slice of apple. Makes a lovely starter 🙂
That sounds divine! Brie and jam on crostini I’ve tried, but I do love a crisp apple slice!
This recipe is to die for! I love the combo of brie and apples stuffed in chicken — thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much Danny! It really is a delish dish. Easy enough for the weeknight but fancy enough for guests. And it’s filled with brie! My favorite 🙂
I’m making this for dinner tonight! I can’t wait to serve it to my boyfriend when he gets home from work 🙂 Looks delicious!
Thanks Liz! I hope you love it.
We both loved it! Total success. It’s a very rare occasion that my boyfriend says “mmm” after every bite, and he did with this dish. It will definitely be on the menu again 😀
I’m so happy to hear this was a success! 🙂 delicious wishes!
These sound delicious and your photo is beautiful. I’ve got some chicken breasts already thawing so this will be tonight’s dinner. I’m sure it will be wonderful.
Thanks for the comment! I hope you loved the recipe 🙂 I love the sweet cow face on your Gravatar. I had a steer when I was little named Rex, looked almost just like that.
That’s so amazing. I’ll let you know about the recipe.
Oh I made the Chicken, Apples and Brie….. but changed it up a bit. Used pork instead of chicken and gouda instead of bri. It was so good my hubby just would not stop talking about it. That you for making cooking fun again~
Just made this dish! Wonderful
i so want to make this dish! Yumm…curious what type of brandy you used? it’s not something I keep around the house but feel like it would make the dish complete.
Hi Leah,
I use a basic liquor store brandy, typically French, usually anywhere from $18-25. It’s lovely in this dish and I also use it for whole roasted chicken or roasted chicken pieces by heating a few tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan, add a sprig of thyme or rosemary or even sage, one clove of garlic minced and then take it off the heat for about 5-10 minutes. This allows the herbs to infuse the warm butter. Remove the herbs and then place the pan back over medium heat. Once the butter is hot, take it off the heat and add about 1/4 cup brandy to the warm herb and garlic butter and then put it back over the heat and let it simmer until its reduced by half. I always recommend taking the pan off the heat when adding any type of alcohol so it doesn’t accidentally flame up. Then finish the butter brandy sauce by taking it off the heat and whisking in about 2 more tablespoons of butter. This “glosses your sauce” and gives it a little bit of a creamy consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper and then pour it over your roasted chicken or chicken pieces. Now you have two recipes for the brandy! 🙂 Enjoy! Karista