Apple-Cheddar Stuffed Chicken with Apple Cider-Dijon Sauce
This dinner recipe, by The Nutritionist Reviews, is ready in just 30 minutes and is bursting with flavor. The mix of sweet, tangy and creamy flavors makes the perfect combination.
When the weather gets cooler, it is nice to have the oven on for a little extra heat! The weather is cold here in Michigan and that means heartier meals that use the oven and stove which I try to avoid as much as possible during the summer. This apple and cheddar stuffed chicken is very simple and is baked in the oven which makes for an easy meal.
I had never made a stuffed chicken recipe before but I got the idea to have chicken and apples and this came to mind. It came out so, so well that I cannot wait to make more stuffed chicken recipes. It was so easy too but looks pretty impressive. Topped with a light sauce made with Dijon mustard, apple cider and apple cider vinegar, the combination is extremely delicious.
In fact, it is so good that the day after I made it, I ran right into the kitchen at work to tell our excellent chef what I had made because I thought it was such a good idea. This recipe only takes 5 minutes of prep time and about 25 minutes of cooking in the oven. This is not a dried out, bland baked chicken recipe. This stuffed chicken is moist and super flavorful with the apple-cider Dijon sauce.
The apples in this recipe give a slight crunch and sweetness which pairs well with the creamy sharp cheddar cheese and tangy sauce. I think that this recipe would work well with pork chops as well. I used Golden Delicious apples from Michigan for this recipe which I think worked really well. Other apples that may work well are Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Jonathon or McIntosh apples.
Apple-Cheddar Stuffed Chicken with Apple Cider-Dijon Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
• 4 medium boneless-skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Michigan apple of choice, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon apple cider
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray. Cut each chicken breast across the long ways but not all the way through.
3. Stuff the chicken with the cheddar cheese and apple slices. Drizzle each chicken breast with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle with black pepper and onion powder.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Whisk together the Dijon mustard, apple cider and apple cider vinegar and pour over chicken breasts. Return to oven for an additional 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
I paired this recipe with my favorite roasted root vegetables which includes more Michigan apples!
Amanda Hernandez is a registered dietitian and recipe developer. She grew up on a farm filled with apple trees and apples are one of her favorite foods! She is the author of The Nutritionist Reviews, a healthy recipe, nutrition, fitness and parenting blog. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram.
