Apple, Gouda & Bacon Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Apple, Gouda & bacon stuffed chicken breast is made in one pan for an easy family dinner. It’s cooked in a brandy cream sauce with hints of fall spices.
I think bacon and cheese stuffed chicken is up there on my list of favorite ingredient combos.
I mean cheese obviously makes everything better (in my world) and bacon is like the cherry on top.
Cue this delicious apple, Gouda cheese & bacon stuffed chicken breast.
The stuffing is easily made with diced apples, Gouda cheese, & bacon along with some onions, garlic, sage and thyme.
After the chicken is stuffed, it’s pan-seared and then finished cooking in a delicious brandy cream sauce.
This easy stuffed chicken is a perfect fall family dinner :).
Do you go apple picking in the fall?
It’s definitely one of my favorite fall activities because I love making all those fresh apple recipes afterwards.
Air Fryer Apple Fritters, Apple Cider Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Apple & Pumpkin Butter Crostata…just to name a few.
As much as I love a homemade apple pie, I like using my apples for savory recipes too which is where the inspiration for this easy apple & bacon stuffed chicken recipe came from.
It’s a little sweet, a little savory and full of flavor.
How to make apple, cheese & bacon stuffed chicken breast:
- Add diced bacon, apples and onions to a large sauté pan. Cook until bacon is crispy and apples and onions are tender. Add in sage & thyme.
- Add in brandy and cook 1-2 minutes, then stir in shredded Gouda cheese.
- Fill each chicken breast with filling.
- Return pan back to the stove top (leaving the bacon grease) and add the stuffed chicken breast. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until slightly browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add brandy cream sauce ingredients to the pan: brandy, half & half, apple cider (or apple juice), cinnamon and sage. Cook until slightly thickened, then add the chicken back to the pan and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through.
If you’re not a bacon fan you can substitute pancetta, sausage or omit all together and just use olive oil instead of the bacon grease.
I found the shredded Gouda cheese at my local Aldi grocery store and I’ve also seen it at Target.
If you can’t find it already shredded, no worries you can grate the block of Gouda with a cheese grater.
I love using the Gouda cheese in this recipe because it has a nutty, sweet, mild flavor and melts beautifully. It’s creamy and buttery adding that richness to the dish.
If you can’t find Gouda or want to use something else I suggest using either cheddar, Monterey jack or Gruyere.
What to serve with Apple, Gouda & Bacon Stuffed Chicken Breast:
-
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
-
Steamed Green Beans
-
Brown Rice
-
Mashed Sweet Potato
Looking for more easy Fall dinner recipes?
Apple, Gouda & Bacon Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Stuffed Chicken
- 8 Slices of Bacon cut into small pieces
- 2 Apples cored and diced
- 1 Yellow Onion diced
- 1/2 tsp Ground Sage
- 1 tsp Fresh Thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
- 1 Tbsp Brandy
- 1 cup Gouda shredded
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Brandy Cream Sauce
- 1/3 cup Brandy
- 1 cup Half & Half
- 1 tbsp Apple Juice or cider
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Sage
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add apples and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and apples and onions are tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare chicken breasts by cutting a slit in the side about 3/4″ of the way through to create a pocket for the stuffing (be careful not to go all the way through). Season both sides with salt and pepper
- Stir in the thyme and sage to the apple mixture, then add the brandy and stir for 1 minute. (The mixture will bubble up).
- Stir in the shredded Gouda cheese until melted. Remove from heat.
- Fill each chicken breast with the filling. Return the same pan with the bacon grease back to the stove top over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook about 3-4 minutes per side until slightly browned. Remove chicken and set aside.
For the Brandy Cream Sauce:
- In the same pan again, whisk together brandy, half & half, apple juice (or cider), cinnamon and sage. Bring to a boil, then add stuffed chicken back to the pan, cover and turn down to a simmer for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.