Our Favourite Cranberry Brie Stuffed Chicken Recipe

If you’re on the hunt for a show-stopping main course that looks wonderfully sophisticated but is deceptively simple to prepare, you’ve come to the right place. Imagine a dish that beautifully marries sweet, savoury, and creamy notes in every mouthful. We’re delighted to share our guide to creating the most divine Cranberry Brie Stuffed Chicken Recipe you’ll ever have the pleasure of tasting. This is the kind of meal that makes an occasion special, ideal for a festive gathering, a dinner for two, or any time you fancy a truly memorable treat.

This recipe elevates humble chicken breasts into a gourmet affair. Picture a succulent, tender chicken breast, seared to a perfect golden-brown, then sliced to reveal a molten centre of creamy brie cheese, tangy cranberry sauce, and a subtle hint of fresh herbs. It truly tastes as incredible as it sounds, and we promise it’s remarkably easy to make. Let’s get cooking!

Why You’ll Adore This Recipe

• Impressively Simple: This dish delivers a serious wow-factor that is sure to impress your guests, making it a superb choice for a Christmas dinner or another special event. They won’t believe how easy it was to create!
• A Harmony of Flavours: The delicious combination of rich, earthy brie, tart cranberries, and savoury chicken creates a perfectly balanced and utterly moreish taste experience.
• Ready in Under an Hour: Taking you from preparation to serving in less than 60 minutes, this recipe is fantastic for a luxurious mid-week meal without dedicating hours to the kitchen.
• Adaptable to Your Taste: While we adore this recipe just as it is, it’s incredibly easy to customise. Feel free to add chopped walnuts for a bit of crunch or change the herbs to match your preference.
• A Treat for Any Time of Year: Although it feels particularly special during the festive season, this delightful dish is one we love to enjoy all year round.

Ingredients

• 4 large, skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 200g each)
• 150g brie cheese, rind removed and sliced
• 80g whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Salt, to taste (we suggest ½ tsp)
• Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste (we suggest ½ tsp)
• Optional: A handful of chopped pecans or walnuts for extra texture

Step-by-Step Guide to the Perfect Cranberry Brie Stuffed Chicken

Crafting this culinary masterpiece is much simpler than you might imagine. We have laid out the process in clear, easy-to-follow steps. Let’s begin!

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Breasts

To start, we need to make a pocket for our wonderful filling. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, as this will help you achieve a beautiful golden sear later. Lay a chicken breast flat on your chopping board. Place your hand firmly on top and, using a sharp knife, carefully slice horizontally into the thickest part of the breast. Create a deep pocket, but be sure to stop about 2cm from the edge so you don’t cut right through. You are aiming to form a pouch. Do this for all four chicken breasts.

Step 2: Create the Festive Stuffing

Now for the most exciting part! In a small bowl, we will prepare our flavour-packed filling. Combine the sliced brie, whole berry cranberry sauce, and the freshly chopped rosemary and thyme. If you’ve decided to include nuts, this is the time to stir them in. Mix everything together gently until just combined. We recommend leaving some small chunks of brie, as these will create gorgeous pockets of melted cheese inside the brie stuffed chicken.

Step 3: Stuff and Secure the Chicken

Gently open the pocket you made in each chicken breast and spoon the brie and cranberry mixture inside, dividing it evenly. Be generous with the filling, but avoid overstuffing, which could cause it to leak out during cooking. Once filled, press the edges of the chicken pocket together to seal it. To make sure the delicious filling stays inside, we suggest securing the opening with a couple of toothpicks. This simple trick really does work wonders.

Step 4: Season and Sear

In another small bowl, mix the olive oil with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Brush this seasoning blend generously over all surfaces of the stuffed chicken breasts. This will give the chicken a wonderfully savoury and crisp exterior.

Next, place a large, oven-safe frying pan over a medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken breasts. Sear them for 3-4 minutes on each side until they are an attractive golden brown. This step is essential for developing flavour and locking in the juices for a moist result. If you appreciate straightforward chicken dishes, our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe uses a similar searing method to enhance flavour.

Step 5: Bake to Perfection

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6). Place the oven-safe pan with the chicken directly into the hot oven. If your pan cannot go in the oven, simply transfer the seared chicken to a suitable baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and a meat thermometer shows an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). For more information on cooking chicken to the correct temperature, you can consult reliable sources like the Food Standards Agency.

Once baked, take the chicken out of the oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before you slice it. This is a vital step that lets the juices settle, ensuring every bite is succulent and flavourful. And remember to remove the toothpicks before serving!

Top Tips for Success

We truly want your stuffed chicken recipe to be a triumph. Here are a few extra pointers from our kitchen to help you along the way:

• The Importance of Resting: We cannot say this enough! Letting the cooked chicken rest before slicing is the key to achieving a moist and juicy result.
• Experiment with Cheeses: While brie is the classic choice, this recipe is also exquisite with camembert, which offers a slightly deeper, more earthy taste.
• Secure the Filling: Using toothpicks to close the pocket is a great way to prevent the delicious, cheesy stuffing from escaping while it cooks.
• Ensure Even Cooking: If your chicken breasts are much thicker in one area, you can gently pound the thicker part to create a more uniform thickness before cutting the pocket. This will help it cook more evenly. If you love simple yet flavourful chicken meals, have a look at our popular Lemon Garlic Chicken as well.

What to Serve with Your Cranberry Chicken

This versatile cranberry chicken is a wonderful match for a wide range of side dishes. We especially enjoy serving it with:

• Creamy Mashed Potatoes: The ideal accompaniment for soaking up any of the rich pan juices.
• Roasted Vegetables: Roasted asparagus, Brussels sprouts, or honey-glazed carrots provide a beautiful complement to the festive flavours.
• A Simple Green Salad: A fresh, crisp salad with a light vinaigrette offers a lovely, refreshing contrast to the richness of the chicken.
• Quinoa or Wild Rice: For a wholesome, nutty alternative that pairs perfectly with the cranberry and brie.

FAQ

A Meal to Remember

And there we have it—a truly stunning Cranberry Brie Stuffed Chicken Recipe that we are sure will become a new favourite in your home. This dish is perfect proof that you don’t need complicated methods or endless ingredients to create a meal that feels special and tastes absolutely incredible.

Whether you’re organising a celebratory feast or just looking to make a weeknight dinner a little more exciting, this recipe is your key to an unforgettable meal. We hope you’ll have fun with it and even make it your own. We’d love for you to give it a try, and please do leave a comment below to tell us how you got on. Hearing about your culinary successes always makes our day!

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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 large, skinless, boneless chicken breasts (approx. 200g each)
• 150g brie cheese, rind removed and sliced
• 80g whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper, or to taste
• Optional: Handful of chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C Fan). Pat chicken breasts dry and cut a deep horizontal pocket into the thickest side of each.
2. In a small bowl, gently combine the brie, cranberry sauce, rosemary, thyme, and optional nuts.
3. Divide the stuffing mixture evenly and fill each chicken pocket. Secure the openings with toothpicks.
4. In another small bowl, mix olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Brush this seasoning over all sides of the chicken.
5. Heat a large, oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
6. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 74°C / 165°F).
7. Remove from oven and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes. Remove toothpicks before slicing and serving.

Nutrition (per serving): 485 calories, 10g carbs, 58g protein, 22g fat