Typical Southern homes enjoy Roasted Chicken with family on Sunday’s…I’ve whipped up an apple/sage stuffed chicken breast on a bed of creamy mashed cauliflower with asparagus tips. It’s pretty easy to create, and the house will smell like a fragrance you only wish companies would market.
Recipe – serves 4
- 4 free-range skinless chicken breasts
Stuffing:
- 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1Tbs butter
- 1Tbsp finely chopped sage
- 1Tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 apple, peeled, and grated
- 1tsp Dijon mustard
- 2Tbsp cranberry jelly
- 2Tbsp pine nuts
- olive oil for brushing
- salt and pepper
- extra sage leaves for garnish (2 – 3 per breast)
- 12 pieces of string or butchers twine to tie the bundles
Pre heat your oven to 180 c / 350 F
Place each chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and then beat with a meat mallet or the bottom of your cast iron skillet. Flatten the breast evenly until about 5mm thick.
Melt the butter in a non-stick pan and gentle sauté the onion until it softens. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Set aside to cool.
Mix all the other stuffing ingredients together until well combined and then roughly divide into 4 portions.
Place a flattened chicken breast, smooth side down on a board, lightly season the surface and then spread 1/4 of the stuffing evenly over. Roll up and tuck in any loose edges or stuffing that may have fallen out. Place the stuffed breast with seam side down and tie three pieces of string to secure the roll. Tuck a sage leaf under the string for decoration (and added flavor).
Brush the chicken rolls with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Heat the skillet or non -stick frying pan and cook the rolls until slightly golden on all sides. Either use the same skillet if it is oven proof, or transfer to a dish that is and roast for around 20 minutes until cooked through.
