Apple Gouda Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Posted: 03/07/2016
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Creamy Gouda cheese and sweet apples make these stuffed chicken breasts a winning recipe! Pair with smoky roasted sweet potatoes for a sheet pan supper that will make everyone happy.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: It’s delicious, and clean up is easy!
How long it takes: 45 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: sheet pan, oven, sharp knife, mixing bowl
Servings: 4
Sweet apple pairs perfectly with creamy Gouda cheese, stuffed into a tender chicken breast. Sweet potatoes not only add a great pop of color, but thanks to the smoked paprika, they impart a fantastic smoky element that gives depth to the entire meal.
We’re in the middle of a bathroom remodel right now (our master bathroom), which is exciting and exhausting. If I had endless money, I would have hired a designer. Making all the decisions about tile, paint, countertop, flooring, trim, hardware…
I seriously feel like my head is spinning! Thankfully, we have very patient contractors.
I tested this recipe on a day that Ben had a late night at work so instead of letting this chicken go to waste, I tested it out on our contractors who answered my 20 questions about the flavor combinations when they were finished eating.
Just kidding, I kept it to one or two questions.
About these Apple Gouda Stuffed Chicken Breasts
This recipe combines two of my favorite things: stuffed chicken + sheet pan dinner.
Stuffed chicken, first. EASY. Looks fancy. Win win. Everyone thinks you’ve created this show-stopping chicken recipe. And you were able to do it with very little effort. What could be better?
Next, sheet pan dinner. My favorite kind of dinner. One pan dirty, one oven temperature, but a complete meal. Check out lots more sheet pan dinner recipes, if you like sheet pan dinners as much as I do.
How to stuff Chicken Breasts
Begin with boneless skinless chicken breasts. Use the sharpest knife you have to slice each piece horizontally, but not all the way through, and open the chicken like a book. This is also called butterflying. Take a look at the photos below for a visual demonstration.
Arrange sliced apples on one half, then Gouda cheese, and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Close the chicken by carefully folding the unstuffed half over the stuffed half. I usually do this whole process right on the sheet pan so you don’t have to transfer the stuffed breast, decreasing the risk of anything falling out.
I like to throw together a quick tossed salad to serve on the side for crisp, fresh green elements.
Enjoy!
PS: Next time, should we add bacon? I think so.
Used in this recipe
FAQs
How do I cook chicken breast without drying it out?
Stuffed chicken tends to be less dry because the stuffing keeps it flavorful and moist. Cook chicken in a fairly hot oven (425°F) until it’s just done. Use an instant read thermometer; for chicken, the internal temp should be 165°F.
Can you stuff raw chicken?
I love these butterflied stuffed chicken breasts because both the stuffing and the chicken cook quickly. You won’t have any contamination issues that may occur when you stuff a whole chicken with warm stuffing.
How do you stuff chicken breast without toothpicks?
Because the stuffing is enfolded into the chicken breast, there’s no need for toothpicks. If you happen to use too much stuffing, a toothpick will secure the chicken while it bakes but by the time the chicken is cooked, the toothpick can be removed and the chicken will stay together.
Make Ahead Tips
Stuff the chicken breasts and store in a covered container in the fridge up to a day ahead. Dice the sweet potatoes, cover with water, and store in the fridge up to a day. Drain well, pat dry, and continue with recipe as directed.
More stuffed chicken breasts
- Sun-Dried Tomato, Kale and Feta Stuffed Chicken
- Fajita Stuffed Chicken
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast Stuffed with Avocado and Cheddar
- Hasselback Stuffed Chicken with Spinach and Artichoke
- Lazy Baked Greek Chicken
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
Creamy Gouda cheese and sweet apples make these stuffed chicken breasts a winner! Pair with smoky roasted sweet potatoes for a sheet pan supper that will make everyone happy.
Ingredients
For Chicken:
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (approximately 10 oz. each)
- 2 ounces Gouda cheese, very thinly sliced
- ½ large apple, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (reserve a few sprigs for garnish)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Sweet Potatoes:
- 2 large large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a large sheet pan or shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Split each chicken breast across but not through and open like a book (be careful, you can easily cut yourself doing this!). This is also known as butterflying. Refer to the post for photos.
- On one side of the chicken, arrange 7 to 8 thin apple slices followed by 4 to 5 slices of cheese. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon fresh thyme. Fold over and drizzle with ½ teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Repeat with second chicken breast.
- Place the chicken breasts on sheet pan and top with another sprig of fresh thyme, if desired.
- In a bowl, mix diced sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon thyme leaves and sea salt until evenly coated. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer around chicken breasts.
- Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, and stir sweet potatoes.
- Continue to bake until the juices run clear from chicken and internal temperature of chicken registers at 165°F, about 10 additional minutes. Sweet potatoes should be fork tender.
- Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully cut each chicken breast in half vertically to make 4 servings. Serve with sweet potatoes on the side.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 318kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 857mg, Potassium: 844mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 24402IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 161mg, Iron: 2mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Cat says
Great but chicken needs no more than 8 or so minutes then let stand for 10 minutes. 20-30 minutes at 425 grossly overcooks it
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks for the feedback!
Bren says
Plan on making this for supper tonight! Sounds delish! I was wondering if you could cook this in the airfryer? If so, what time and temp would be best? Thank you!
Rachel Gurk says
I haven’t tested them in the air fryer, but I’d use my air fryer chicken breasts recipe as a starting point. Let me know how they turn out!
Melissa says
I am planning to make this tonight. I wonder if pan searing it for a minute or so on each side before baking it would lock in the juices. And I wonder if seasoning the chicken breasts with a little bit of garlic powder as well as sea salt and pepper would help make it less bland? Or you could season it with Italian seasoning?
I appreciate everyone’s comments.
Rachel Gurk says
I think those are both great ideas and would be delicious!