Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Cider Vinegar Sauce Recipes

STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH APPLE CIDER VINEGAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
• For stuffing boil enough water to soak apricots and cranberries. Let soak for 15 minutes. Let apricots cool slightly and cut into small pieces and add to bowl with tomatoes and feta cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Using sharp knife, cut horizontal slit 3/4 way through each chicken breast. Open like a book and place on a cooking sheet. I use a cooking stone sheet with great results. Place a couple of layers of spinach on each inside side of chicken breast. No need to steam first. Place as much of the stuffing mix as you can on one side and close the breast over. I don't use string, but you can if you find it easier. I stuff as much as I can, almost to the point of overstuffing.
• Lightly brush olive oil over breasts. Cover with foil for the first 10 mins of baking and then remove foil for last 30 mins or so. Actual time depends on breast size. I remove from oven when internal temp is 175 degrees. Cover with foil while you complete the sauce. I usually let sit covered for 10 mins or so.
• For sauce melt 1 tbsp butter in sauce pan on medium heat. Add garlic and brown. Add the cider vinegar and boil 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beef stock and reduce temperature slightly and continue to boil until sauce is reduced to desired thickness and taste. About 10-15 mins should do it. You can dilute with additional stock if you boil down too much. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can play around with sugar and vinegar amounts to get the flavor that is right for you.
• You can serve breast as is or sliced. I prefer whole as I find that it tends to fall apart. Pour sauce over and serve.

PHEASANT BREAST STUFFED WITH APPLES IN A CIDER VINEGAR AND PRUNE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the apples into a small saucepan with the water, thyme, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the apples have softened and cooked down to a chunky applesauce, about 15 minutes. Remove the applesauce from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Prepare the pheasant breasts to be stuffed by cutting a pocket horizontally into each breast. Spoon the apple and bread crumb stuffing into each breast. Wrap each breast with two strips of bacon and place them into a baking dish with the chopped onion. Pour the chicken stock over the pheasant breasts and season with salt and pepper.
• Roast the pheasant breasts in the preheated oven until well done and the juices from the meat run clear, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove the breasts from the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Pour the juices from the baking dish into a small saucepan with the cider vinegar and prunes; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the cream and continue to boil until thickened.
• Slice the breasts diagonally and fan out on the serving platter, spoon the prune sauce over the slices to serve.

GORGONZOLA STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH STRAWBERRY GASTRIQUE

Steps:

• Combine gorgonzola, thyme, pepper and prosciutto in a bowl. Cut a horizontal slip through the thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Spoon 3 tablespoons of cheese mixture into each pocket. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
• To make the sauce, place strawberries in a small saucepan. Partially mash strawberries with a fork or large spoon. Stir in sugar, vinegar, broth, coriander and black pepper.
• Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture has reduced to 2/3 cup, this should take about 30 minutes.
• Strain strawberry sauce through a sieve over a bowl. Discard the solids. (I actually left the sauce as is and did not strain.).
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken 5 minutes per side, or until browned and completely cooked. Serve with sauce.

HAM-AND-PEANUT-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CIDER SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the stuffing, process the nuts in a food processor or blender until they are finely ground. Add the butter and process until smooth. Add the cream, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne and process until well combined.
• To prepare the chicken breasts, place each breast half between sheets of wax paper and flatten with a mallet, the flat side of a cleaver or a rolling pin to a thickness of about half an inch. Place the breasts smooth side down on a work surface and discard the wax paper. Lay one slice of ham on each breast half. Spread approximately three teaspoons of stuffing on top of the ham. Beginning with the narrowest end of the breast, roll up into a neat, plump shape, tucking the edges in. Secure with toothpicks.
• Strew the onions, carrot and apple in a baking dish large enough so that the rolled breasts fit snugly. Place the breasts on top of the vegetables. In a saucepan, melt four tablespoons of the butter and brush some of it on the breasts. Bake uncovered in the center of a preheated 375-degree oven for 10 minutes. Baste with butter and bake 10 minutes more. Turn the breasts over, baste and bake another 10 minutes. While the chicken cooks, boil the cider and vinegar in a saucepan over high heat until reduced to six tablespoons. Set aside. Transfer the chicken breasts to a warm platter and cover with foil.
• Transfer the onions, carrot, apple and any juices from the baking pan to a food processor. Add the cider reduction and puree until it is smooth. Press through a sieve set over a medium saucepan, reheat over low heat and whisk in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Keep warm.
• To prepare the garnish, heat the butter in a large, heavy skillet. Dredge one side of each apple slice in sugar and place sugared side down in the hot butter. Cook over medium-high heat for four to five minutes or until deep golden brown. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on the apples, turn over and brown the other side.
• Add any juices that have collected from the chicken to the sauce; reheat sauce if necessary. To serve, cut each chicken breast into one-quarter- to one-third-inch slices; discard toothpicks. Divide the sauce evenly among four plates, place slices on top of sauce in an overlapping pattern and garnish with two or three apple slices. Pass remaining sauce separately.

STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CIDER VINEGAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallots; sauté until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add sugar. Sauté until shallots are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add vinegar; boil 2 minutes. Add both stocks; boil until liquid is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 25 minutes. Strain.
• Make chicken:
• Soak dried fruit in hot water to cover for 15 minutes. Drain.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and sauté until almost all liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes. Stir in fruit and sauté 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Steam spinach until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Cool.
• Using sharp knife, cut horizontal slit 3/4 of the way through each chicken breast. Open as for book. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place thin layer of spinach over half of each breast. Top spinach with 2 tablespoons fruit mixture. Close breasts over filling. Tie with kitchen string. (Sauce and chicken can be made 1 day ahead; chill.)
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; brown in skillet, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Bring sauce to simmer. Remove from heat. Gradually add 4 tablespoons butter, whisking just until melted. Remove string from chicken. Cut each breast crosswise into 5 slices. Serve with sauce.