What's For Dinner Wednesday--Brie and Apple Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Remember when you were first married and you would see recipes titled "Brie and Apple Stuffed Chicken Breasts" and you'd just skip over it because you knew it would be too complicated?

Oh, that was just me?

Hmmm...

So, anyways, I came across this recipe on Facebook from Sunflower Farmer's Market, my produce mecca, and thought it would be an awesome one to try. 

And it was.  Though, in hindsight, I should have done things a little differently. But more on that later.

So here's the recipe:  (Note: this really isn't a recipe for the health conscious, though you could probably change it up some to make it healthier.  I burned something like 1300 calories today exercising, so I figured I was entitled to a little fat in my dinner tonight).

4 Chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1 small apple, cored and thinly sliced
4 T butter
1/2 tsp each, salt and pepper
1-2 T flour
4 slices Brie cheese
2 C apple cider
2 C chicken broth

*Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Warm 1 T butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the apples and saute until softened.  Set the saute pan aside.  Tuck a slice of Brie and several slices of apple into the pocket on the underside of the chicken breasts between the breast and the tenderloin.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Pat a little flour onto both sides of each chicken breast.

Not being very familiar with the anatomy of a chicken breast, I cut a slit into the fattest area of the chicken breast and put my goods there.  However, in hindsight, maybe I should have inspected the breast more.  I couldn't fit very much in the little slit I made.

*In the saute pan, warm 1 T butter over high heat.  When the butter foams add the chicken breasts and brown them on both sides.  Transfer the chickento a sheetpan, stuffed side down and put it into the oven for 12-14 minutes.

If I would have done as above, perhaps I would have understood the part about putting the chicken stuffed side down. 

*While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce.  Pour the cider and the broth into the saute pan and boil it over high heat until reduced to about 1 1/2 cup.  Swirl in the remaining 2 T of butter .  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I would have preferred to have had a thicker sauce and rereading  the recipe, I don't think I let enough boil off.  And I omitted the last two tablespoons of butter.

Spoon sauce over the chicken breasts.

Despite all those things, it still turned out really well.  I used a Rome Apple, and I think I would have chosen a different apple with a little more oomph to it.  But for a recipe that sounds all gourmet-like and stuff and is sure to impress, it was easy peasy.  On the table in 30ish minutes. 

I served it with rice.  It was going to be a risotto, but I ran out of energy and desire, so just plain rice. And sourdough bread, which will probably be my death.  I LOVE sourdough bread. For dessert, we had blueberry cobler. 

Oh. Yeah.

One of these days, I'm just going to pay homage to great desserts.  And this will make it. 

Nutrition for the chicken:

Calories: 465.7
Fat: 22.3
CHO: 2.4 g
Protein: 60.6 g (?)