You guys know we love some stuffed chicken in our house right? I make it A LOT and love trying out all kinds of variations. Spinach stuffed chicken is a great go-to any night of the week. And I love making chicken breasts stuffed with prosciutto, spinach and mozzarella for a fancier dinner like a date night in, or for company! My kids are especially partial to pizza stuffed chicken and cheesy Mexican stuffed chicken breasts. Well today’s apple and brie stuffed chicken is one we ALL adored! I made it for the first time last fall and only did two chicken breasts for the four of us. I don’t know why I didn’t think my little kiddos would eat much of it. They ate all of the little cut up bites I put on their plate and then ate all but two pieces of mine as well! Lesson learned. I now make them their own so I don’t have to share! This chicken dinner is full of melty soft brie cheese and tart apple slices, which is such a good combination. Plus it’s got a brushed mustard coating on the outside that gets a little bit crispy in the pan and also helps make the most delicious savory pan sauce. And no work needed for the pan sauce either - it’s just made from the condensation over the pan as it’s covered and cooking. Gotta love that! It’s perfect for a delicious fall chicken dinner the whole family will love! So let’s get cooking. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken: It helps to have decent sized chicken breasts, not the super thin ones or perfectly portioned ones, since you’ll have to slice them across in half to stuff them. Apple: I prefer using a tart green apple like a Granny Smith for this recipe. It adds a good contrast to the creamy brie. However, you could substitute another apple variety if you prefer. Spinach: The spinach or arugula here is optional. It adds a pretty layer but doesn’t contribute much to the overall flavor, so feel free to skip if you would like. Thyme: The thyme is also optional. It adds a nice earthy, herby flavor but I’ve left it out before and this was still delicious. Mustard: I like the combo of Dijon and coarse grain mustard, but you can use all Dijon mustard if that’s all you have on hand.
Oh, and if you are new to stuffed chicken, go check out my post on how to butterfly chicken breasts. It’s got some step-by-step photos that are really helpful with how to cut the chicken open. Also, I should mention that I don’t secure my chicken breasts with toothpicks or string before baking. I find that butterflying them and just folding them back over is sufficient. Also, I’m lazy like that. ♀️ If yours look like they might want to fall apart, feel free to add a few toothpicks. This recipe is made in the skillet, but I often bake my stuffed chicken recipes. It takes a little longer to make stuffed chicken in the oven, but it is hands off, which can be nice some nights. So I wanted to offer some instructions on how to prepare this recipe that way if you’d like to cook it that way instead.
Baking Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375. Prepare the chicken breasts as instructed in the recipe card below to butterfly, season and stuff them. Instead of searing in a pan, however, place the mustard-brushed chicken breasts onto a foil-lined baking sheet (for easy clean-up). Drizzle the tops with olive oil (or spray with cooking spray). Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken breasts are cooked through. It helps to use a thermometer to check that they’ve gotten to 165. I love this digital one.
The only downside to that is you won’t have the crazy yummy pan sauce that you get when you make this stovetop in a skillet. Depending on the night though, that tradeoff may be worth it for something you can stick in the oven and walk away from. Now let’s make this into a meal!
Serving Ideas:
We love this chicken served over steamed brown rice. It’s especially delicious with extras of the amazing pan sauce spooned over top of everything. White rice or quinoa would be good too. (Even cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.) For a veggie side, you could do a simple green salad, steamed asparagus, broccoli or green beans, or roast a mix of vegetables in the oven. Roasted Brussels sprouts (with bacon!) would be a great pairing too. Great fall flavors here.
Last thing, let’s talk about what to do with any leftovers. Once cooled, leftover stuffed chicken can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 4-5 days. Slice the chicken then reheat in the microwave or a pan until heated through. Then enjoy it again! I hope you give these cheesy stuffed chicken breasts a try for a yummy taste of fall, made easy. Enjoy and happy cooking! XO, Kathryn P.S. Check out these other 30-minute chicken dinners for more inspiration! Chicken: It helps to have decent sized chicken breasts, not the super thin ones or perfectly portioned ones, since you’ll have to slice them across in half to stuff them. Apple: I prefer using a tart green apple like a Granny Smith for this recipe. It adds a good contrast to the creamy brie. However, you could substitute another apple if you prefer. Spinach: The spinach or arugula here is optional. It adds a pretty layer but doesn’t contribute much to the overall flavor, so feel free to skip if you would like. Thyme: The thyme is also optional. It adds a nice earthy, herby flavor but I’ve left it out before and this was still delicious. Mustard: I like the combo of Dijon and coarse grain mustard, but you can use all Dijon mustard if that’s all you have on hand. Instructions for baking in oven:
Preheat the oven to 375.
Prepare the chicken breasts as instructed above.Instead of searing in a pan, however, place the mustard-brushed chicken breasts onto a foil-lined baking sheet (for easy clean-up). Drizzle the tops with the olive oil (or spray with cooking spray).Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken breasts are cooked through.
Leftovers: Once cooled, leftover stuffed chicken can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 4-5 days. Slice then reheat in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.
