Stuffed Chicken Recipe

This is a wonderful stuffed chicken recipe.

The stuffing is absolutely amazing!

The mix of fruit and nuts with rice and a bit of cream cheese - heavenly.

The recipe says to start out with bone-in chicken breasts and remove the bone.

You can certainly use boneless chicken breasts.

Just make sure the skin is left intact on the chicken because the stuffing is stuffed under the skin.

You can also slit the boneless chicken breast, leaving one side attached, so it opens like a book. Place the stuffing inside, fold the top back over the chicken and bake it like that.

The method of placing the stuffing under the skin probably results in a moister chicken.

Any way you do it, I think you will love this nut and apricot stuffed chicken recipe.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

8 chicken breasts, bone in or boned but with the skin intact
2 tablespoons butter

Stuffing:
2 tablespoons butter
2 green onions, minced
3/4 cup parboiled rice
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts
salt and pepper
2 ounces cream cheese, cubed

In a heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring, for about 1 minute or until softened. Add rice, currants and apricots, stirring to coat. Add stock, orange rind and juice and bring it all to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 - 20 minutes or until rice is tender and the moisture is absorbed. Add almonds, and salt and pepper to taste. Fold in cream cheese. Let it cool completely.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, remove the bones from chicken breasts, leaving the skin intact. Gently loosen the skin from 1 long side of each breast, leaving it attached along the curved edge. Stuff about 1/2 cup stuffing under skin, pressing to spread stuffing evenly. Place the chicken on a greased, rimmed baking sheet. Brush the chicken with butter. Bake, basting occasionally, for about 35 minutes or until golden brown and chicken is no longer pink inside.

You can skim the fat from the pan juices and serve the pan juices drizzled over the chicken.

Note:
You can also stuff the chicken by rolling it into the meat. Slice the breast in half, almost all the way. Put the stuffing on one end of the breast and roll it a bit to encase the stuffing inside the meat. Place seam side down on baking dish and bake as directed above.

Makes 8 servings.